


Burning At Both Ends

by vesper93



Series: Chains That Bind [1]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: <80000, Betrayal, Comfort, Complete, Death, Deceit, Dreams, F/M, Finished, Gangs, Hidden - Freeform, Hurt, Ireland, Love, Mystery, Sex, War, part one, tommy shelby - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2018-09-09 05:19:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 78,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8877526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vesper93/pseuds/vesper93
Summary: When Arin flees Dublin, she thinks she's coming to a safer place. This is where she hopes she can find solace for her pain, and a place to start anew. Little does she know that the place she's coming to has more ties to where she came from than she'd like to think. And then there's the man with the bright blue eyes, who seems to know her already...





	1. Chapter 1

When everything had changed she’d come here. She had nowhere else to go and no other choice. When her dad had died in the war, her brothers as well, and her mam passed either ‘cause she was sick with grief, or of the influenza some said it had been… well, she had to come here. It was either here or head out into the total unknown. This seemed like the lesser of two evils. 

So it was that she found herself sitting in her uncle’s kitchen, drinking a cup of tea. He was her uncle by marriage; having married her dad’s sister, Maggie. She’d met him a couple of times before, but not since the war. And since the war, many things had changed. 

‘This isn’t a safe place y’know’ said the man standing in front of her, his voice a mix of the Irish he was born with, and the Birmingham slur he’d been around for the past decade or more. 

‘I know’ she said, ‘but it’s the only place I’ve got left’

‘It’s been a long time since I saw you last, Arin’ he said, his brow furrowed.

‘I know, the war got in the way’ said Arin, not breaking his gaze. She didn’t want him to think she was soft. She was anything but soft. 

‘How old are you now then?’ he asked.

‘Eighteen’ she said quickly and then continued hurriedly, ‘And I know I’ve no right at that age to knocking on your door, but after da died, the neighbours started asking for more money, and all I’ve got left –‘

‘It’s alright,’ he said, holding up a hand to stop the flow of her words, ‘You’re kin, and where we’re from that’s everything. But you’ll work for your keep.’

‘Of course!’ she said, ‘Thank you’ 

‘First thing tomorra, I want you out looking for work. Decent work mind, we don’t want any shame on this house’ he said. 

She raised her eyebrows but said nothing; she hadn’t had any thought of that. That was part of the reason why she’d ran from Dublin in the first place. 

‘Your aunt will be back from the bathhouse soon’ he said, ‘She’ll tell you where you might start looking.’

Arin nodded, ‘thank you uncle’.

He waved away the thanks and turned away, back to the basket full of knives he’d just been around the neighbourhood collecting. Arin knew that her Uncle was the local knife grinder, and folk brought out their knives for him to sharpen up fit for use. All the ones in this basket would be delivered back tomorrow. 

‘You’ll be sharing with Caitlyn and May’ said her uncle, his back still turned, ‘Second door on the left’

‘Alright’ she said, taking that as her dismissal, she turned for the stairs. 

**

The next day, as promised, she was out the door just after seven to look for work. She’d slept well, despite Caitlyn being almost too excited to fall asleep when she’d discovered that she’d got a new cousin. Caitlyn had only been a baby when Arin had last seen her, so Cait didn’t remember her from before.  
Her aunt, Maggie, had warned her about the area and told her to be careful. She’d been from a similar area back in Dublin, so she didn’t need telling. She could take care of herself. She’d been raised with three brothers, and had been scrapping with them since she was old enough to walk. 

Maggie had tipped her off that one of the local pubs, the White Horse, was looking for a barmaid. She’d spent time pulling pints in some of the rougher pubs in Dublin, and didn’t think this would be much different. So that was the place she planned to head to first. There wasn’t many people about. The laborers had already gone to work hours ago, and the women were still seeing to their kids. There was the occasional laundry woman, or carrier, or barefoot chid, walking up the street. 

She lit a cigarette as she walked, taking a slow drag, before breathing it out. 

Aunt Maggie had told her it was mile up the street, and a left up towards the canal. People round here called the canal ‘The Cut’. Arin didn’t know why and wasn’t sure wanted to know either. There was a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ mentality here, same as there had been back in Dublin. She was used to it. The buildings were black with soot, and the air was heavy with smog. She could see the stacks of the factories and mills just over the way. Most of the men would work there. She listened as the clunk of a freight train clattered over one of the railway bridges nearby. 

‘Where are you going love?!’ came a call from a boy loitering alongside a building. She ignored him, and carried on her way. 

It was just up here, as she turned left, she could see the landlord opening the outside door of the bar. There was nobody around the pub at all, and she went in through the door the landlord had left open. 

‘You alright there?’ asked the landlord as she walked in. 

‘Good Morning’ she said, her wooden heeled shoes clicking on the floor, ‘I’m here about the barmaid’s job’

The landlord straightened up from emptying the ashtrays behind the bar. He looked her up and down, taking in the green smock dress she’d ran from Dublin in. It was patched up here and there, but it was clean and bright.

‘You ever worked in a pub before?’ he asked, his eyes narrowed sceptically. 

‘Oh aye,’ she said, ‘Back in Dublin’ 

‘You’re from Dublin are you?’ he asked, his tone slightly surprised, ‘Don’t get many first generation round here anymore’

She didn’t reply, it seemed like a rhetorical question. 

‘Anyway, you can pull a decent pint, yeah?’ he asked.

‘I hope so,’ she said, ‘I worked there for three years’ 

‘How old did you say you were again?’ he asked

‘Eighteen’ she said, and then by way of explanation, ‘my da’s mate owned the pub’

‘Oh aye’ he said with a shrug. He wasn’t going to question it really. He was just interested. 

‘I know what it’s about’ she said, ‘And I’m a hard worker’ 

‘I had no doubt about that love’ he said, ‘Alright then, it’s the race meet tomorrow, so we’ll see what you’ve got when they’re all in their cups’

‘I’ve got the job?’ she asked, specifying. 

‘I just said so, din’t I?’ he said, ‘On wi’ you, and I’ll see you here tomorrow at eleven sharp’ 

‘Thank you… Mr Haroldson’ she said, remembering the name she’d seen above the door as she came in. 

‘Jim’ll do love’ he said. 

‘Alright,’ she said, ‘Thank you, Jim’ 

**

‘Two pints over here!’ came a call from the other end of the bar. 

‘Four whisky!’ a voice shouted from nearby. 

‘Scotch or Irish?’ she asked. 

‘Do I look like I want bloody Scotch?!’ the man jeered. Arin grinned as she push the two pints towards the man at the end, and then turned to get four whisky glasses for the man nearby. 

‘You new ‘ere love?’ asked the man who wanted the whisky, ‘I’ve not seen you face before, ‘cause I would remember a pretty face like that’ 

‘This is my first day’ she said, as she handed him the glasses and he clinked the change down on the bar top. 

‘Alright, well see you in a bit, ‘cause I’m sure I’ll be back for more!’ he cheered, and went to join his friends at the table. 

Arin barely stopped for the next twenty minutes, as all the winners on bets from the days races hastened to spend their money. 

She was bending down to get clean glasses, when a weird hush fell over the pub all of a sudden. She straightened up and turned around, two whisky glasses in hand. Standing just by the door were four men; all wearing peaked caps and black coats. She could see the hint of gleam in one of the caps of the men, and vaguely wondered why his hat had a shine to it. 

‘Whatever it is, it’s on the house’ Jim whispered to her before heading up in the direction of the newcomers. 

‘Good E’en Mr. Shelby’ he said, ‘Not often we see you in here, compared to The Garrison, what can I do you for?’

‘Just came in here to celebrate,’ said the man who was at the forefront, his voice soft and his accent thick, ‘It’s been a good day lads… we’ll head to The Garrison in a bit.’

‘Four whisky’ said the man just behind his right shoulder, he had a large moustache and a face that had known hardship. 

Jim cocked his head in Arin’s direction and she hurried to pour, before handing them to the four men as they approached the bar. 

The one at the front waved his hand at the pub and a steady slight chatter broke out again. This one had bright blue eyes, and a jaw line that could cut diamonds. 

‘Cheers’ he said, raising his glass before taking a large gulp. In all that time his eyes had never left hers. He was looking at her in a mixture of interest and puzzlement, and she wondered what his eyes were taking in. 

‘What’s your name?’ he asked her, his voice smooth and low. 

‘Arin’ she said, meeting his gaze square on, ‘Arin Fletcher… And yours?’

Jim looked at her askance; apparently you didn’t ask this man questions. The man blinked before replying. 

‘Thomas Shelby’ he said, doffing his cap in her direction, the shine glinting in the light, ‘Fletcher you say?’

‘Pleasure to meet you Mr. Shelby, and aye’ she said softly with a shrug. 

‘Hmmmm’ he said, still considering her, ‘Pleasure’s mine’ 

He then turned away to join his three companions in a booth that they had sat in, striking up a cigarette as soon as he sat down. 

Nobody approached the bar for a few moments after Mr Shelby had sat down. 

‘Take that’s the reason, then?’ she asked Jim quietly as he stood beside her.

‘Them’s the reason for absolutely everything round here, miss’ he said, ‘And it would do you well not to forget it. Them’s the Peaky Blinders.’ 

**

Tommy sat down on the side of his bed. A long pipe in one hand, and a photograph in the other. He glanced briefly at the photograph before turning his attention to the pipe. 

There was a small lump of the black tarlike substance in the end, and he lit it with a practiced hand, letting himself breathe in the fumes of the Opiate. He lay back on the pillow, not even bothering to take his shirt off, and soon the haze of the drug clouded his vision. 

_He was standing at the entrance to a long dark tunnel, winding down into the bowels of the earth. His own stomach churned as looked at the ladder, to where it disappeared into the darkness._

_His stint didn’t start for another ten minutes, and he was determined to stand here, under the sky, for as long as he could. He took a drag on his cigarette, detached from his surroundings. He’d always thought that when he died, he’d die with the sky over his head, and his family nearby. He never imagined that he’d die buried in the mud; millions of tonnes of French soil over his head, clogging his breath and crushing his bones._

_He was brought out of his melancholy thoughts by a clap on his shoulder._

_‘Ey up Tommy’ said the man who had clapped him._

_‘Irish’ said Tommy, looking at the older man, wearing a helmet with a red medic’s cross on the front of it._

_‘You going back down?’ Irish asked, hitching his pack up his shoulders._

_‘Yes, as soon as B team make it back up here,’ said Tommy, ‘It’s our turn again’_

_Irish nodded, his face turning pale as he glanced into the dark hole that Tommy was destined for. It was like walking into your grave before your heart had actually stopped._

_They both looked up, eyes widened with shock as a shell whizzed over their heads and landed in the trench about 20 metres away._

_‘Fuck’ said Tommy, reaching for his helmet that had been standing on a stick next to him, ‘Here we go’_

_Irish nodded as another shell whined past, landing in the same spot._

_‘MEDIC!!’ came the yell from further down the trench. Irish nodded and looked around before spitting on his palm and holding out his hand._

_‘In the bleak midwinter’ he said._

_Tommy spat, took it and shook it, ‘In the bleak midwinter’_

_With that Irish turned and ran towards the chaos further down the trench. As he did so something fluttered out of his army trousers and landed on a duckboard. Tommy bent down to pick it up and hand it back._

_‘Will!’ he yelled after Irish’ retreating back, but the man couldn’t hear him._

_Tommy turned the thing over in his hand and saw it was a photograph of a girl. In this photo she looked to be about sixteen years old, her wavy hair draping out of the frame. Yet it wasn’t the hair or the face that held Tommy’s attention; it was her eyes. Her eyes that even though the sepia of the ink, seemed to see him. Tommy realised with a jolt that this must be the daughter Irish talked of. He knew those eyes were green. Without really realising what he was doing, Tommy took out his battered cigarette case and placed the photograph into it. He clicked it shut, and put it back into his jacket pocket._

_‘Tommy!’_

_Tommy turned around to see his school friend, Freddie Thorne, standing at the entrance of the tunnel that led to hell._

_‘Come on!’_

_Tommy nodded, watched another shell whine overhead but land behind the lines, before he followed Freddie down into the depths of the earth._

Tommy awoke with a groan and looked around. The Opium had gone out, but the scent still lingered heavily on the air. He sat up, cradling his head in his hands before rubbing his eyes and looking around. 

His hands reached out for a grubby square of paper on his table. It was dirty and stained and the edges were frayed, but it was still recognisable. It was still… her. 

‘Fletcher…’ he said under his breath, his tongue wrapping around the word. 

‘Fletcher’ he said again, his finger tracing over her face, ‘Hmmmph’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been asked. Arin's name is the Irish version of "Erin" (which coincidentally means 'From Ireland'). It is pronounced AIR-RIN.


	2. Chapter 2

‘Arin!’ Cait’s voice came tunnelling up the stairs towards her, ‘Someone at the door for you!’ 

‘Who is it?’ she called back, as she pushed pins into her long brown hair to make sure it stayed in the twisted bun she’d put it up in. Her hair normally curled down to her waist, but for work behind a bar it was easier to try and keep it out of the way. 

‘He says you need to come down!’ Cait called. 

‘Alright!’ said Arin, grabbing her scarf off the bed, and tying it around her neck. She’d been living here for three weeks now, and had been given a draw in the small chest in the bedroom for her few meagre belongings. 

She headed down the stairs, adjusting her hat as she went. She would be on her way to work as soon as she’d spoken to whoever was at the door. 

Except they were no longer at the door. The man was loitering in the tiny hallway in front of the stairs, cap in hand. She vaguely recognised him from somewhere, but couldn’t quite place where. He was chewing a toothpick. 

‘Can I help you?’ she said to him. 

‘Arin Fletcher?’ he asked

‘Aye? Who’s asking?’ she said, still trying to place his face. 

‘I’m John, John Shelby’ he said, holding out his hand. 

It clicked into place; he’d been with the man with the blue eyes that first night in the pub. She took his hand and shook it. This man also had blue eyes, ones that looked as if they were undressing a woman whilst she stood. Arin met his gaze steadily. 

‘I was wondering’ if you remembered me and my brothers from the night a few weeks ago?’ he asked. 

‘Sure did’ I said. ‘And I’ve heard a lot more’ 

‘Of course you have’ he said with half a smirk, ‘Well anyway, we like to know who the new people are around Small Heath, and we’d be much obliged if you would join us at The Garrison, later.’

‘I’ve got to go to work…’ she said vaguely, gesturing towards the door. 

‘Nah you don’t,’ he said, ‘Jim’ll be alright with it’ 

She breathed out through her nose, and remembered who she was talking to, ‘Of course he will’ 

John smirked again and nodded, ‘Alright then, see you in a few hours… Arin’ 

With that John doffed his cap at her, and headed back out of the front door, clicking it in the frame and leaving the hallway in semi-darkness. There was a moment when everything was still in the house and then her uncle appeared from the kitchen. 

‘Arin?’ 

‘Yeah’ she said, turning towards him. 

‘Was that a Shelby?’ he asked, glancing at the door, as if he expected it to reopen. 

‘Yes’ she said, with half a non-committal shrug. 

‘How do you know a Shelby?’ he asked. 

‘I don’t’ she admitted, ‘They came into the White Horse a few weeks ago, and I’ve heard a lot about them since’ 

‘Well I’m not surprised around here’ he said, ‘But what do they want with you?’

‘I dunno’ she said, ‘As I said, I’ve never spoken to them before other than the other night. John said that they like to meet the new people in the neighbourhood. I’ve seen them round and about occasionally’ 

‘Trust me, Arin,’ he said, ‘If there was anything to know about you, the Shelby’s will know it well before tonight. They’re not going to wait for you to tell them.’

‘I thought so’ she said, ‘but I guess I have to go’ 

‘An invitation from a Shelby is not an invitation Arin,’ he said, ‘You’ve not got a choice.’ 

She shrugged her shoulders, and looked down at the patched green dress ‘Well I’ll have to go as I am, I’ve got nothing else to wear’ 

Her uncle nodded, ‘Go like that. You look sweet.’ 

‘Sweet?’ she asked, ‘Is that what I want?’ 

‘Well it’s better than anything else’ he said with a shrug, and turned back into the kitchen and to his work. 

**

She’d never been to The Garrison before. She’d walked past it a few times, as she’d walked round the area here and there. She knew her uncle Freddy drank in here with her cousin Lucas, but she’d never been in herself. 

It looked like it was already busy. The morning men would have finished their shift on the docks and probably headed for the pub. She pushed open the door and went inside. Most of the men inside ignored her, except for one or two who gave her appreciative looks. Maybe they thought she was here touting for business. If any of them approached her, they’d soon know different. There wasn’t anything of any value in here; the scrubbed tables and chairs were easily replaceable. The soft furnishings looked a little moth eaten, but everything was clean. This was one of those areas where if anything of value wasn’t nailed to the floor, then someone would have it off before you could blink. The thing of most value in here was probably the liquor behind the bar. No one would dare hit this pub though; especially with it being the known Shelby drinking hole. 

She went up to the bar and the barman raised his eyebrows. It wasn’t normal behaviour for a girl to approach the bar of a public house. 

‘Can I help ye miss?’ he asked, his accent thick. 

‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I’ve been invited here by Mr. Shelby, I was told he would be here’

His eyes widened and he nodded. 

‘Just through here, Miss’ he said, nodding to a door to a nook she hadn’t seen before, as she came in.

She hesitated for a moment, hand on the doorknob, before the barman nodded again and she twisted it, opened the door and went in. There was a moment of quiet as the door opened, and the men inside looked up to see who would have the audacity to interrupt them. 

Then, the one called Tommy spoke, his head cocked slightly to the side as he considered her. 

‘Arin,’ he said, her name rolling across his tongue with a light lilt, ‘Glad you came’ 

‘Did I have a choice?’ she asked him. 

He didn’t reply, he just grinned, ‘Come, sit down’ 

He motioned to the seat next to him, and she sat down, her back as straight as a rod as she was reluctant to relax. They were clearly relaxed; their caps were in their pockets of coats that were flung into the corner. She could see that they were all still wearing their gun holsters though; they would be foolish to take those off in public. 

‘We just wanted to make ourselves known,’ said Tommy, sitting back into his seat, ‘but first, a drink. What do you drink?’

Normally it would be a little early for her to drink, but she guessed that wasn’t really an option in this company. 

‘Rum’ she said. He looked momentarily surprised, but then his features relaxed into an expression of quiet amusement. 

‘White or dark?’ he asked

‘Dark’ she said, ‘If I’m going to drink now, I might as well do it properly’

‘Good logic there lass’ said the man sitting opposite her, his long hair combed back towards his neck. 

‘My brother, Arthur’ said Tommy, by way of explanation, ‘You’ve already met John, and that there’s Finn. He’s the runt of the litter’ 

‘Fuck off!’ spat the younger boy in the corner of the nook, causing his brother John to clap him about the temple. Finn wasn’t drinking straight whisky; Arin could see that he was drinking his with a lot of water in it. 

‘Service!’ yelled Tommy, and the hatch to the bar immediately opened, ‘A bottle of dark rum, and some whisky’ 

There wasn’t even a noise of assent from the other side of the hatch, but a few seconds later the bottles appeared, along with clean glasses. Tommy poured some of the dark liquid into a crystal glass and pushed it towards Arin. She picked it up and took a sip, the hot liquid burning the back of her throat somewhat, and the fumes clouding her nose. She thought that she could probably get drunk on the fumes alone, but that the liquid was a nice companion. It bolstered her courage somewhat as it settled in her stomach. 

‘So do you know why you’re here?’ asked Tommy. 

She shook her head, deciding it was probably safer to stay quiet than to speak. 

‘Well apart from the fact that we’re very neighbourly people’ said Tommy, causing his brother John, to snort with laughter. 

‘We’d like to find out a little bit more about the girl who arrived from Dublin, in nought but the clothes she stood up in’ he said. 

‘It was as it seemed’ she said with a non-committal shrug, ‘I had to leave Dublin, so I did’ 

‘You _had_ to leave Dublin?’ he pried, ‘Why?’

She suspected that the question wasn’t just for the information. She guessed that Tommy Shelby never asked questions that he didn’t already half know the answer to. 

‘My family were all dead, and where I was from, it’s no place for a girl to be alone. Bit like here I suppose.’ 

‘Too right,’ said Arthur under his breath. 

‘Hmmm’ said Tommy, not replying, take a gulp of his whisky, ‘Family all dead?’ 

‘Well, apart from Freddie and Maggie’ Arin said, ‘My brothers and pa died in the war’ 

‘Did they now?’ said Tommy, his head nodding gravely. 

She narrowed her eyes very slightly, wondering why he was pressing the issue. 

‘Aye, they did’ she said, ‘My eldest brother bought it at Amiens, my da and another at the Somme. Johnny made it all the way through to the third Ypres. Ma and I thought he might come home.’ 

Tommy nodded, his thin lips not moving in any form of emotion. His blue gaze was very unsettling, but she was determined to not let hers waver either. 

‘What happened to your Ma?’ piped up Finn, earning himself another slap from his brother. 

Arin half smiled at his unfeigned interest, ‘She died an’ all. Some say of flu, most of a broken heart.’ 

Tommy nodded, ‘Quite a sad story’ 

Arin said nothing. She’d done all of her crying over the past years and months. She wasn’t sure that she had anything left. 

‘So you came here, to Small Heath?’ said Arthur.

Arin raised an eyebrow, ‘Well it was either that or go on the job’

John snorted with laughter at her directness. 

‘That sort of work not appeal to you love?’ said Arthur with a grin, ‘With a face like that…’ 

‘Well it ain’t really your face they’re interested in, is it?’ she quipped, causing John and Arthur to laugh throatily, ‘and when you have better options to keep the wolf from the door…’ 

‘Well you’ve certainly got heart, I’ll give you that love’ said Arthur, raising his glass in her direction, in a semi-mocking toast. 

She replied by doing the same, and taking a large gulp of her rum. It burned the back of her throat, but it slipped down well, creating a warmth in the pit of her stomach. 

‘Anyway, the reason your ‘ere’ said Tommy. 

She didn’t reply but just waited; knowing that this was the reason she had been summoned to meet these men. 

‘We want you to come and work here’ he said, ‘At the Garrison. No more working at The White Horse, alright?’ 

She was silent for a moment, ‘But Jim-‘

‘We’ll make sure Jim finds someone else’ said John, ‘If you’re that worried about it’ 

She nodded, biting her lip slightly, ‘May I ask why?’ 

‘You may _ask_ ’ said Tommy, and left it that, meaning that she could ask all she wanted. She wasn’t necessarily going to get an answer though. 

‘Hmmm’ she said, ‘Alright, when do you want me to start?’ 

‘Tomorrow night’ he said. 

She nodded in compliance. 

‘Until then, Miss. Fletcher’ he said, nodding in her direction. 

‘Until then, Mr. Shelby’ she said, finishing her drink in one gulp, she got up and headed for the door. She knew the men were watching her as she left, and she was determined not to look back. 

She left the pub and headed back towards her uncle’s. She wondered whether Jim had already been told, or whether that would be left up to her. As she walked she saw a girl run from out of an alleyway, looking around her as she did so. Arin noted that she had dirty knees, and a rosy flush to her cheeks, and yet her dress was of higher quality than you’d expect from a whore. 

As the girl disappeared a man with a sharp undercut emerged from the alley, smoking a cigarette. He caught her eye and shrugged with a smirk. She shrugged back and hurried on her way, vaguely wondering why the Shelby’s had taken a special interest in her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: This chapter contains scenes of attempted sexual violence.

‘You just be careful alright Arin?’ said Uncle Freddie, ‘I don’t know why the Shelby’s have taken a special interest in you, but you know who they are, and what they are, even if we don’t know all they do.’

‘It’s alright Uncle, it was exactly the same in Dublin’ she said, straightening her hat, ‘I’ll look out’ 

‘It’s better this way though Freddie’ said her Aunt Maggie, who was knitting in front of the fire. Arin thought she was probably making a new jumper for Hugo. She rarely saw her other cousin, because he was always gone to the factory before she woke up, and she was at work when he came home.

‘Better?’ asked Freddie, looking over at his wife. 

‘Well think about it,’ said Maggie, setting her knitting down on her knee for a moment, ‘Would you rather that the Shelby’s were interested in her, and looking out for her, or at the other end where they was after her and this family?’

Freddie grunted, clearly seeing the logic in this. 

‘Alright lass, on your way’ he said, ‘And see that someone walks you home again. I know Jim used to do it, but the streets aren’t safe at that time’ 

‘I will, thank ye Uncle’ she said, pecking him on the cheek before heading out the door. 

She was wearing a new dress. She was being paid more at The Garrison than she had been at The White Horse and she’d been able to afford material to make a new one with Aunt Maggie. It was light grey, almost silver in the light, and grazed her ankle, like all the fashion these days. She had seen Maggie’s disapproval at the length; and she commented you could see her ankle bone. Hardly seemly. She’d gently ignored her. She’d didn’t want to look like the women had before the war. It also had a light grey pattern twisting through the material, creating a whimsical feel to the movement of the dress. 

She was the second one to the pub. The first was the head barman; Mr Hughes, but everyone just called him Bill. Bill Barman, if someone was wanting to be polite. She’d been introduced to him shortly after getting the job. He hadn’t even commented when John had told him that she’d be working for him from now on. Bill just kept his head down and did what he was told. 

‘Alright Bill,’ she said, as she dropped her bag into the space behind the till. 

‘Hey up Arin,’ he said, ‘The tables need wiping down.’ 

She nodded and grabbed a pail of fresh water from the outside tap and a cloth to start work. 

It didn’t take her long to scrub the tables, empty the ash trays and the slop buckets, and take her place behind the bar. She was able to have a cigarette before the first punter came in, and she enjoyed the feeling of the smoke curling down into her lungs which each breath. 

The door banged open and she hastened to put her cigarette out to serve the first customer. 

‘Don’t do that on my account’ said Tommy Shelby as he strode into the pub, his black coat swirling behind him. Arin noticed that his coat had a blue satin lining. 

‘Mr Shelby’ she said, nodding, ‘Drink?’ 

He shook his head, ‘I didn’t come to drink, is Bill here?’

‘He’s out the back’ she said, ‘I’ll just go fetch him for you’ 

‘You look nice,’ he said as she headed towards the door to the backroom, ‘new dress?’ 

She was extremely surprised that he’d noticed, and more surprised still that he’d commented on it.

‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I made it myself last week’ 

He nodded with interest, his eyes hesitating for a moment on the visible part of her ankle. He didn’t seem to care that she’d noticed him looking. Why would he? He lit up a cigarette as she disappeared. 

Arin headed out to the back, leaving her still lit cigarette propped up on the side of an ashtray. 

‘Bill!’ she called out the back in the direction of the outhouse where she knew Bill had gone.

‘Aye?’ he shouted back, ‘Jesus, can’t a man take a piss in peace?’ 

‘Mr Shelby is here to see you!’ she called. 

‘Ah fuck’ came the grumbled response, and about four seconds later Bill emerged, buttoning his flies up. 

She headed back into the pub, Bill hurrying behind. 

‘Ah, Billy Barman’ said Tommy. 

‘Sorry Mr. Shelby’ said Bill, ‘I was just out back’ 

‘I’d have a word, if you please?’ said Tommy, cocking his head in the direction of the nook. Once again, it wasn’t a question; nobody said no to Tommy Shelby. Bill dropped the grubby rag he’d been wiping his hands on on the floor beside the bar and hurried around to follow Tommy into the nook. Arin wondered what was so important that Tommy had come to see Bill just as they were opening. She also wondered why Tommy had come, and not sent John, Arthur or Finn. 

She couldn’t hear what was being said, and she knew that she shouldn’t really be listening. All she could hear were the intonations in their voices. These went from soft and quiet, to surprised, to stern, back to quiet. The conversation only lasted just over a minute by her reckoning, but apparently Thomas Shelby didn’t waste his time with words. Then they were back out into the main area of the bar, Thomas was doffing his cap in her direction and he was gone in a swirl of a black coat. Bill was looking at her with interest for a moment, before he seemed to remember himself and headed towards the backroom again.  
She didn’t even bother asking Bill what it was about, knowing full well that he would either ignore her, or tell her a lie. She didn’t have much time to think about it because within moments the first punters came through the door and she was busy getting drinks. 

**

Several weeks went by with her working comfortably at The Garrison, and weeks steadily turned into a month, and then she’d been in Small Heath for over two months. She often saw the Shelby brothers, sometimes Arthur, sometimes John, occasionally Finn, but often it was Tommy. He liked to come in before the pub opened to the punters and talk to her. Not for long, mind, but he seemed to come in several times a week, and she found that she was less and less anxious about her position here, and the reason for it. His soft deep voice calmed her, despite the fact she knew his nature. Several times he’d come in here with a cut eye, or bruised knuckles; a testament to the day’s activities. Yet he’d talk to her like anyone else did. He’d often clear off just as the first boots approached the door, but he'd make sure that he’d find time to talk to her, and she even managed to coax a smile out of him now and again. She’d made him chuckle for the first time the week before. 

After her shift had finished, she would walk home with someone by her side; sometimes it was Bill, sometimes Joe his son. Sometimes she would even be accompanied by a Shelby brother. This time it was never Tommy. It would usually be John or Finn. It didn’t matter that Finn was only a kid; he was a Shelby, and nobody would give him any bother. At first, she questioned as to why she was getting this apparently preferential treatment, but after receiving absolutely no answer, she had given up asking and just taken it for the privilege it was.

It was a night in late May and the pub was extremely busy. It had been a successful race meet for this district, and the money had been pouring through Small Heath all day. In the pub were women, men, whores, children, and the odd dog, all adding to the cacophony of noise. Arin was raced off her feet all evening, barely looking up from the pint pump or the whisky bottles, which were flying off the shelves faster than she seemed to be able to restock them from the back. She certainly didn’t have time to take stock of anyone in particular that night. There were friendly men, and drunk men, lusty men, and men looking for a fight. 

When the bar finally closed, she heard Bill leave out the back door. He trusted her enough to lock up the front of her way out, after whoever was coming to escort her home arrived. Bill knew it wasn’t going to be him tonight. After a big race meet like today, it was always one of the Shelby brothers who came to collect her. She was just bending over, putting away the last of the polished crystal glasses when the door opened. 

‘I’ll be there in a moment’ she said, not bothering to look up. 

‘It’s alright love, take yer time, it’s such a pretty view after all’ 

She whipped upright at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. Three men she didn’t recognise were standing on the other side of the bar. She noticed their bulky mass and the grubby neckerchiefs around their necks. 

‘Sorry gents, we’re closed up now’ she said, attempting to be jovial, ‘I was just about to leave’ 

‘Oh we know,’ said the man in front, ‘In fact, it’s you we came here to see.’

‘Oh aye?’ she said warily, her voice sounding much braver than she felt, ‘And what do you want with me?’ 

‘She got spirit this one’ said one of the men behind, steadily walking around the bar. 

She was stuck behind here. Her only exit was being blocked by the men. 

‘Tha’s alright,’ said the man who was clearly the leader, ‘I like ‘em with spirit’ 

‘I shall scream’ said Arin, ‘If one of you lays a hand on me, I shall scream’ 

The man who had come around to her side of the bar chuckled before lunging for her arm. In the end she didn’t scream; she tried to knee him the balls, but missed, and caught him in the stomach. 

‘Ooof!’ the noise came out of him like a deflated automobile tyre, ‘Fucking bitch!’ 

She used that moment where he was doubled up to push him into the edge of the bar, causing him to stumble further so she could dart past. She ran for the door to the back, and tried to push it open. 

‘Fuck!’ she cried in despair as she realised that Bill had locked it from the other side on his way out. 

She turned back around, only to be confronted by the second skulking man, the one who hadn’t spoken at all so far. She used the moment he reached his arm out for her to dart underneath it, using her slight frame to squeeze through the gap, but she didn’t get far as she ran into the man who’d been in the front. 

‘He’s right’ he said, catching her, ‘You do have spirit’ 

His hand was around her neck, squeezing her breath away, and the other on her hip, pushing her backwards towards a booth. Her mind was racing; _where the fuck was Finn? Or John? Or anyone?!_

She gathered her breath to scream, but the man holding her saw it and clapped a smelly hand over her mouth. She tried to bite it, but he backhanded her across the face, causing her to stagger and fall back on the bench seating. 

‘Fucking try and bite me again, bitch, and you’ll have no teeth, alright?’ he yelled.

‘What do you want with me?!’ she tried desperately as she struggled against his grip. She was trying to back up into the booth behind her, anywhere to get away from them, but the man now had hold of her ankles and pulled her forwards. 

‘Well I’d of thought the first bit was obvious’ he jeered, huffing with effort as she struggled against him. He pulled her out of the booth completely and pushed her onto her knees, his weight behind her. She tried to crawl away, but then there were black boots in front of her face, and she was stopped from going anywhere, as her main attacker gripped at her hips, pulling her back towards him. 

_Not like this_ , she thought desperately as he clawed at her dress, pushing it up over her hips, she tried to kick backwards, but missed as he grasped her undergarments and simply tore them off her body. He was huffing with concentrated effort and lust now. There was nobody stopping her now, so she screamed, hoping that someone, _anyone_ would hear. She could feel his bruising fingers on her hips. 

‘Hold ‘er still!’ barked the man, as she continued to squirm like a fish. The next thing she knew, she was being pushed face down into the wooden floor, a hand on the back of her neck. Her dress was ripped completely, in tatters around her shoulders and waist, so she was nearly nude on the floor of the pub, only her brasserie and torn stockings and garters left. 

Everything slowed down in that moment, she was intensely aware of the dirt on the floor, mixed with the sawdust to soak up any spilled beer, inches in front of her eyes. She could see a tiny spider, crawling across one of the grooves. She could hear the vile man, huffing with effort behind her, one hand holding her hip to steady her, the other guiding himself to sink home. 

Then there was a loud bang, followed by an even louder gunshot, and she was crushed by the heavy weight of the man who had been behind her, a wet warm liquid seeping onto her back. The hand lifted from the back of her neck, and the sounds of a fight broke out behind her. 

She had just about enough awareness to crawl out from under the weight, and made for the darkness of a booth near the corner. She didn’t need to look, she just needed to hide. 

The fight didn’t last long. The smacks of fists on flesh stopped moments after she had hidden away. There were footsteps towards where she was, half visible underneath the table of the booth. 

‘Arin?’ the deep voice of Tommy Shelby broke through her senses, ‘Come on, come out. You’re safe now.’

It took her a moment for her to move. She was shaking as she tried to move, but as she shifted slightly towards the open space of the pub, a firm hand wrapped around her arm and helped her to her feet. 

She found herself staring into the icy blue eyes of Thomas Shelby, his expression darkened by anger and the passion of the fight. He was still breathing heavily, his shoulders moving as he did so. In a moment of self-awareness she tried to pull her dress around her body, to cover herself somewhat. She wasn’t completely nude, but you could see a curve of her breast through her torn dress, and her knees were on show. He wasn’t looking at her body, however, he was looking at her face; trying to show her that he meant her no harm. 

‘Don’t worry’ he said, shrugging his coat off his shoulders and putting it around hers. It was obviously too big for her, but she was able to button it with shaking hands. She could feel her naked thighs rubbing together as she shook. She reached a hand up to her hair, drawing it away covered in blood. She realised that this must belong to her attacker and she wiped it unthinkingly on Tommy’s coat. 

Only then did she survey the scene; John was stood near the door, his eye bleeding quite freely down his face. Arthur was standing by the bar, a broken bottle still in his fist. Her attackers were on the floor. The man who’d been a hairsbreadth away from raping her was dead; a hole in the back of his head. She didn’t know, or care, about the other two. They were certainly not moving. 

Her legs were shaking uncontrollably as she tried to take a step forward, she nearly fell and she groaned softly as she stumbled. 

‘It’s alright’ said Tommy, gripping her, ‘Come on’ 

And with that he swept her up into his arms, carrying her like a child. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her head resting against his shoulder. She was clearly experiencing some form of shock, and everything seemed to be a blur, almost like she was fading in and out of consciousness. 

The only thing she was aware of was the fabric of Tommy’s waistcoat under her cheek, and the sound of his heart, beating firmly and steadily in her ear.


	4. Chapter 4

‘Here you go love’ 

A glass of whisky was pushed into her hand and she took a gulp instantly, letting the warm weight of it settle in her belly and make her feel a little bit more steady. Her hands were still shaking, but they’d slowed a bit and her heartrate was gradually slowing down. She looked up into the concerned face of a woman with curly brown hair cascading over her shoulders; this must be Polly, who Arin had heard people speak so much about. She’d not seen her in The Garrison yet; maybe she only came in for big events. Polly stepped back from her and crossed her arms, looking down at her, a concerned a look in her eyes. A blanket had been placed around her shoulders to replace Tommy’s coat, but Arin was still wearing her tattered dress.

Arin sat there, almost detached, as if she was watching herself in this situation. She thought it was odd that she hadn’t cried yet. Polly gave her warm cloth to clean up her scraped and bloody knees. It was warm in her hands and put some sensation into her hands. 

‘My uncle’ll be worried about me’ she said eventually, as she finished wiping the dirt out of the grazes on her knees. They were stinging a bit, but they weren’t overly sore. She also wiped the dirt out of the few little cuts on her hands. 

She vaguely saw Tommy nod at Finn, and Finn slip out the door, putting on his little cap as he went. Assumedly he was going to tell her family where she was. They wouldn’t worry if they knew she was with the Shelby’s. She hoped Finn wouldn’t tell them what had actually happened, but she was sure Finn had a little bit more tack than that.

‘Did he..?’ Polly asked her eventually, her sentence tailing off at the end. 

She wasn’t sure whether the question was directed her or not, but she shook her head anyway. 

‘No’ she said, ‘They arrived, just before he could… before he could…’ 

She felt like she might cry, and she’d not cried yet at all. It was if her tears were stuck in her chest. 

‘It’s alright love’ said Polly, moving forward again and putting a hand on her shoulder, rubbing her thumb across it gently, and then turned to the brothers, who were still stood about, ‘Who were they?’

At least Arin had thought they were all still stood about, but in the moments since Finn had left she realised that Arthur had gone too, leaving just Tommy and John. John looked awkward, as if he didn’t really know what to do with himself. He was twisting his cap in his hands and was looking anywhere but at her. 

‘Arthur’s just gone back to the pub to see if there’s anything about’ said Tommy, ‘But I have a fair idea’ 

Arin was vaguely interested in who he thought her attackers might be, especially as she didn’t have a clue. 

‘How did you know?’ she asked slowly, taking another gulp, ‘How did you know I was in trouble?’ 

Tommy spoke, ‘I’m sorry Arin, someone should have been there. Finn was running late, Tugboat had held him up by the canal, and he saw the men go into the pub before him. He came to fetch us, thinking that there would be trouble’ 

She nodded, thinking of the trouble she could have been in if they’d have been a hairsbreadth later. She exhaled deeply, forcing herself to not start shaking again. She was trying to forget the sound of the man’s breath in her ear. 

‘Don’t worry about it anymore tonight Arin,’ said Tommy, and her eyes flickered to his face, ‘You can stay here tonight.’

She nodded, her nerves settling with every moment the whisky made its way deeper into her system and the fire warmed her chilled limbs. 

‘Thank you’ she said softly, setting the empty whisky glass down on the fireplace hearth. 

Tommy said nothing, but just gestured to Polly, who nodded before springing into action. 

Within moments Arin had been laid up on a cot bed, blankets around her, and the room darkened to almost nothing apart from the dull glowing residue of the fire. She could see a light coming down the hallway, and low voices came from that direction, she could see Tommy’s silhouette gesticulating through the frosted glass of what she assumed was his study. She was tired though, after that night’s experiences, that she found herself drifting off into an uneasy sleep. Her body and mind were both exhausted. 

**

She awoke in the dark, needing to piss. Her body ached, and she knew that she would be bruised, even though she couldn’t see it in this light. 

She stood to find the toilet, knowing that in a house like this they would definitely have indoor plumbing. There was one just back along the hallway towards the front door, and she felt her way carefully in the dark, trailing her fingers along the wall, praying that she didn’t trip over anything, make a noise and wake people. After relieving herself she came back out into the hallway. As she turned back into the main area with the fire, she nearly ran slap bang into someone. Her eyes had accustomed to the darkness, but she could pick out the chiselled jaw line and blue eyes in the gloom. 

‘Sorry Thomas’ she stuttered, trying to move past him. 

He didn’t move for a moment, but then with a breath let her pass; ‘It’s alright, Arin. I was just going to have a smoke in the study. Do you want to join me?’

She hesitated for a few seconds, but then murmured an ascent. He turned and walked towards the study, which was still dimly lit, she followed on his heels. He proffered her a chair on one side of the desk, and he took up the other, his blue eyes considering her.

He handed her a cigarette from his silver cigarette case, and she placed it between her lips. He lit her cigarette with a match before sighing and getting up. 

‘I only had the one match’ he said softly, and with that leaned in, putting his face near hers. He touched the tip of his cigarette to hers, which was glowing softly, and breathed in. This allowed the fire to catch, she heard the paper crackle and saw his icy blue eyes briefly lit in the glow, before he backed away from her, and resumed his seat, with a comforted sigh. He was still wearing his shirt, but he had rolled up the sleeves to just above the elbows. Arin vaguely wondered if he’d been to sleep yet. 

She took a deep drag of her cigarette. She wondered why he had asked her to join her, when he looked like a man who wanted nothing more than to be alone with his thoughts. The clock ticked and the seconds drifted by, the silence of the house magnifying the clock.

‘Are you alright?’ he asked eventually. 

She nodded slightly, ‘You’ve been very kind to me’

He half smirked at her half answer. 

‘You didn’t know those men tonight?’ he asked her.

‘No’ she said, shaking her head; she didn’t really want to think about it anymore. 

‘Well they certainly knew you,’ he said, tapping the ash off the end of the cigarette. 

She hesitated, wondering what response he was anticipating from her. He surveyed her for a moment, his eyes calculating every possibility. 

‘Because your name’s not really Fletcher, is it?’ he continued, taking a drag on his cigarette. 

She gaped at him, her jaw hanging down. Her mind started racing quickly, wondering what to say. 

‘I-I…’

‘It’s alright Arin,’ he said quietly, ‘I would’ve done the same thing’ 

She felt herself nod, almost robotic in her motions. How did he know?

‘So, Miss. _Finleigh_ ,’ he said, her real name sending a jerk like a hot wire down her body, ‘Now that I know that’s what your real name is, we can stop lying to each other’ 

‘I never lied to you Mr. Shelby’ she said, feeling her breath quicken, wondering whether she was in any danger sat here. She was completely vulnerable to him, wearing an old nightgown of Polly’s, that had replaced her tattered dress. 

His blue eyes sparkled, ‘Withholding the truth might be seen by some as lying.’

‘I never meant any harm by it’ she said softly, ‘I wanted to leave that behind me’ 

He nodded, ‘You’re not in deep with me Arin, don’t worry’ 

She didn’t reply, but licked her lips slightly, not realising before that moment that they had been very dry. Tommy knew how to scare people, but he hadn’t really meant to scare her. If he had, she’d have known about it. 

Her cigarette had finished, the ash hanging off the end and she vaguely remembered to tap it off in the ash tray, before it dropped on the carpet beneath the desk. 

‘Mr. Shelby…’ 

‘I think we’re well past that now, aren’t we Arin?’ he asked, ‘My name is Tommy, you’ve used it before. Use it all the time from now on. I’m not Mr. Shelby to you.’ 

‘Tommy’ she said, not entirely sure what to say next. 

‘How did you find out?’ she asked eventually. 

‘I met William Finleigh in France’ he said, breathing deeply before continuing, ‘I shared a trench with him several times, despite us being in different platoon, but especially before Verdun. I remembered him telling me about a daughter that he had. He told me of this beautiful girl with green eyes, who had already lost one brother, but was stronger than the steel of our guns. He was very proud of you, you know.’ 

She choked a little at those words, the most she had ever heard Tommy speak in one sentence. It had been years since anyone had spoken to her about her father.

‘So when we heard the Finleigh empire had collapsed, I wondered what had happened to this daughter William had told me about. We heard the Black family had moved in…’ he said, ‘And not more a few weeks later, a girl shows up in Small Heath, from where he was from, matching the description and the stories I remember oh so vividly.’

She didn’t say anything. She felt like she didn’t have to. He seemed to know most things about her already. 

‘And you’re a little older than you led everyone to believe’ he continued, ‘It’s easier to make people feel sorry for you if you’re barely out of childhood’ 

‘I’m twenty’ she agreed steadily. She’d said she was eighteen for the exact reason he had hit upon. With the war in the way it was very easy to forget the years slipping by, hence the reason it had been easy to lie to Freddie and Maggie. 

He said nothing more, his blue gaze entrapping her silently. Her eyes traced his face, the eyes, the lips, the jawline. She felt the air crackle between them. 

Tommy stood up a moment later, his eyes still on her face, and he came around to the side of the desk that she was sat. She didn’t move, didn’t think she could, his eyes held her transfixed to the spot. He had a power of people in moments like this.

He leaned down towards her, his face inches from hers. His breath smelt like cigarette smoke and the mints she could see on the desk. She tried to look away, break the intensity of his gaze. 

He stopped her by catching her chin between his fingers. He closed the space and kissed her very gently on the lips. She couldn’t have been more shocked if he had decided to strike her. His lips were soft, and warm. He didn’t try and progress the kiss, and broke away after a few moments. He moved forwards so that his mouth was next to her ear, his breath slow and steady. 

‘Never lie to me, again’ he said slowly, his voice low.

There was a moment’s pause where he stepped back, ‘Now leave.’

It wasn’t said unkindly, but it was said directly. Arin swallowed, trying to clear the lump in her throat, and got to her feet. Her eyes flickered up to his face, and saw his blue eyes were closed to the soul behind. She turned, and left, feeling his gaze on her back and she made her way back to her cot bed. She lay down, to try and sleep, but her mind was awash with questions and thoughts, but most of all, most of all she was thinking about the fact that he had kissed her. She had felt his lips upon her own. She very tentatively licked her lips, wondering if some taste of him still lingered. It would be a few uneasy hours of sleep for her tonight. If his actions had meant to distract her mind from her ordeal earlier, then he’d certainly succeeded. 

**

Tommy watched the door long after she’d gone, staring after her and her smell. The slight soft musk of her still lingering in this room, mixed with cigarette smoke.  


He wondered why he’d kissed her, why he’d made such a move. Yet, deep down, he knew why. 

When old Will Irish had told him stories about this daughter of his; this proud, fierce girl with the bright green eyes from his ancestors homeland, and the curled hair to her hips, he’d imagined her for himself. In the trenches he’d conjured up this picture of a smiling girl, with a flash of intelligence in the way her mouth curled up at the edges. Then he’d found the photograph that Will had dropped and the image had crystallised in his mind. Will had also told stories about his family, but mostly about his daughter, and his pride for her had shone through all his words. The way she’d fought her brothers, the way she’d won races on her pony, and become her father’s favourite. Tommy had taken that as some sort of beacon. For some reason this girl who he had never met became a symbol of hope and light in the dark, dirty pits of the trenches. 

He was felt vaguely guilty to say that some nights, lying alone on the cold ground he’d gone further. He’d imagine this girl in a different setting, coming towards him, her lithe body naked, warm and inviting. As he imagined the things they’d do together his hand would creep down inside his army pants, and grasp his hardening cock. He would shut his eyes and he would imagine that his hand were hers, or her mouth, or her body. He would bite the back of his other hand as he would stroke himself until he would cum soundlessly into his palm. 

He wasn’t ashamed of his actions. In France everything had been different, and men behaved like feral beasts. He never thought he would actually meet this girl; that she would remain aloof and out of reach forever. 

Then she’d appeared practically on his doorstep. He’d known that Will Irish had died, and that the Finleigh family had been rocked to its very core because of it. Yet he knew that there were others, sons ready to step up to the plate. He didn’t know, until she’d shown up here, that they had also died, and her ma too. 

And she was everything he’d ever imagined. 

She was one of the only people who hadn’t been scared of him at first sight; who’d managed to meet his eyes and his words with smarts of her own. Her will to survive fascinated him because it was so like his. The fact she’d lied to protect herself only compounded this in his mind. 

She had fought tonight too. When Finn had come running to say that those bastards were going after Arin, Tommy’s heart had nearly stopped dead. The girl who had been in his dreams was in danger. He’d glanced for half a second at John and Arthur, before he’d picked up his gun and run out of the door. It took him a few minutes to run to The Garrison, and his mouth filled with bile at the thought of what he might see inside. He could hear the sounds of men grunting through the half open door. He’d heard her scream and his blood had nearly boiled through his skin.

He’d pushed open the second door with a bang and in a split second he’d taken in the scene in front of him. Arin on her knees, face pushed into the floorboards, as a man heaved behind her naked form, moments away from decision. Tommy hadn’t even thought about it before he’d acted. He’d shot the man through the back of the head, his brains exploding in a shower. He’d try to shoot the second man and sworn loudly as he’d realised he’d used most of his bullets earlier and hadn’t reloaded his revolver. 

The next seconds of the fight had been a blur, and he only remembered himself when he was holding Arin close, her hair draped over his arm and her head lolling against his chest as she shook with shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thanks to LadyRedStar, Annie, and Jewel_of_the_Mountain for their lovely comments. Also to everyone who had left Kudos/subscribed! I hope you're having wonderful holidays. x


	5. Chapter 5

Arin went home the next day, in the early morning light, wearing one of Ada – the Shelby sister’s – dresses. Arin hadn’t met Ada. She never came into the pub, and this morning she’d been sleeping, having apparently got in late. 

When Arin had got up this morning she’d taken stock of her injuries. Thankfully, they were fairly minor. Her hips, knees, hands and cheek were bruised, but other than that she was relatively unscathed... physically at least. She had got away, but she couldn’t shake the memory of the man’s horrible breath in her ear.

Tommy had told her to look after herself today when she’d seen him this morning, and that he would come and see her later. He’d been on his way out the door when she’d been sitting on the side of her cot, drinking a cup of tea given to her by Polly. Polly had raised her eyebrows at Tommy’s assertion but said nothing. There wasn’t much more to be said that morning, besides, they had a family meeting to attend later, and business to begin. Arin had taken her leave and headed home before most of the street woke up.

Her aunt Maggie was all over her the second she walked through the door, fussing about her cheek and her hands. Clearly Finn had told her something of what had occurred but not the entire story when he’d come around last night. Arin hadn’t really expected much else, but all she really wanted to do was to sleep, her eyes were falling shut as she stood. Maggie had let her go after a few moments, realising she wasn’t in the mood to talk much. Arin felt alright, still a little shaken, but she would survive. 

She’d slept then. She’d fallen onto her bed, still wearing Ada’s dress, and had let sleep take her within seconds. She hadn’t realised how tired she’d been, but she’d barely slept after her encounter with Tommy the night before, and her body ached from its treatment yesterday. She hadn’t even dreamed, which was rare for her. Normally her mind was awhirl with colours and images throughout her sleeping hours. 

She awoke to May shaking her shoulder. Arin winced as she caught a bruise that she hadn’t noticed before. 

‘Arin?’ her little cousin’s voice broke through the fogginess in her mind. She opened her eyes to look at May, her light blonde hair almost falling to her knees. 

‘Aye?’ she said, ‘What is it?’ 

‘There’s a man downstairs waiting to see you’ said May, ‘And mam looks nervous’ 

‘Fuck,’ said Arin quickly and then looked at May, ‘Don’t repeat that’

May had just grinned before scampering off.

Arin had forgotten all about the fact that Tommy had said he’d come and see her. She’d been too tired to really process anything earlier that day. She got up quickly and straightened her dress, smoothed her hair, hurried out of the door of the bedroom, and down the stairs, her shoes making a clicking noise on the wooden stairs. 

‘I’m sorry, Tommy, I was sleeping’ she uttered by way of apology to the man standing in the tiny hallway. Maggie was hovering in the doorway to the kitchen, clearly wondering if she should ask him in for a cup tea, or whether that would be the same as the lambs inviting the wolves to dinner. She also looked scandalised at Arin’s use of Tommy’s first name.

‘It’s alright, Arin’ he said, his hands in his pockets, ‘Come on, let’s go for walk’ 

Arin flicked a glance over to Maggie who half shrugged and then she nodded. 

‘Just let me get my coat’ she said, and turned to the peg, unhooking it and putting it around her shoulders, covering up most of Ada’s dress. It was lemon yellow, a colour that Arin didn’t normally wear. Tommy held the door open for her, and they left the house, and walked side by side in silence down the street. 

‘So I hear Monaghan Boy finally lost’ she said quietly after a moment, ‘I heard Freddie talking this morning when I got back. Yesterday, at Kempton right?’ 

Monaghan Boy was the horse they had all been talking about for weeks, because it kept winning and winning. Thomas knew how hold a good betting horse and get the most out of it. The wins around him guaranteed that people would get their money back. Losses showed that Tommy’s horse wasn’t invincible. It also showed he had a nose for business. The more the bets paid out, the more people would bet… and then when the horse lost, the better the collection would be. Arin had never been one for betting, but she understood how the mechanics of it worked. 

‘Yeah he did, that’s why Finn…’ said Tommy, before he tailed off into an awkward silence as he thought about what he was going to say. Arin knew he was going to say something about why Finn had been late picking her up.

‘So you’ve won big’ she said, determinedly keeping track on the subject of horses.

He cocked his head, looking down at her, ‘Well it’s what we’re in business to do. We’ve paid everyone back around ‘ere though. ‘Cept thems we don’t like’ 

She couldn’t help but giggle a little at that. 

‘Is there anyone you do like, Tommy?’ she asked. 

‘There’s a few’ he said, with a twitch of smile. People looked at them with interest as they walked past, but then quickly looked away if Tommy caught them looking. Arin guessed that Tommy was rarely seen out walking with anyone, let alone a woman. They were probably trying to figure out who she was. She knew Tommy was feared and revered around here, and yet she couldn’t help be drawn to him, like a moth to the flame. 

She didn’t reply to his obviously veiled statement as they reached the clearing where the market was usually held. Tommy seemed to know where he wanted to go, however, and his hand on her upper arm directed down towards the canal, past the shells of some iron hulls of canal boats. She noticed that he didn’t take her hand. Perhaps that would be a step too far.

She could see the mill stacks looming over the other side of murky water, and a train rattled over the viaduct towards it as they walked down the gravel track. Tommy reached inside his coat and took out a cigarette from its case. He offered her one but she declined for the moment. 

‘Well, we can be completely honest with each other now, Arin’ he said lighting the cigarette with a match, ‘I know who you are, and you know who I am’ 

‘You told me last night not to lie to you,’ she said carefully, ‘I have no intentions of doing so’ 

He nodded, as he led her around a corner. She realised that they were at his small stables, where he kept his horses, and where some of his most loyal men worked for him. 

‘Why here?’ she asked, looking around. A canal boat was making its way slowly past.

‘Because here we can talk, and I did say I would show you my new horse’ he said and turned away from her momentarily, ‘Tugboat!’ 

A few seconds later Tugboat Charlie emerged from the shed and looked at Tommy quizzically, his flat cap askew on his head. 

‘Clear off for a bit, and take Curly and Jones with you’ he said. Charlie looked from Tommy to Arin and the nodded, shrugging his shoulders slightly, before yelling to the other men, they followed him obediently, Curly almost trotting, and then they were left alone in the stable. Tommy walked towards one of the stalls, Arin followed behind him.

‘Isn’t he beautiful?’ asked Tommy, stepping towards a bay horse that was tied to the post. His coat was shining, having clearly just been brushed by either Curly or Tugboat. 

‘Yes’ she said, looking at the animal as she watched Tommy croon a few words of their shared Gaelic tongue to the horse. He must have stood at least seventeen hands, and Arin could see the powerful muscle under his flanks. 

‘Do you know anything about what’s going on in Birmingham at the moment Arin?’ Tommy asked after a moment, his piercing blue eyes looking at her carefully. 

She hesitated, ‘I heard Arthur saying yesterday that they’re looking for more coppers, something about signing up to serve the King’ 

‘Aye, they are’ said Tommy, tucking a bit of the horse mane back behind its ears from where it had blown forward in the slight breeze , ‘The streets are swarming with ‘em. New ones.’

‘Ones that you don’t own?’ she said cheekily. 

His blue eyes flashed as he looked up from the horse’s nose, ‘Aye, one’s we don’t own.’

‘Why?’ she asked, wondering what she was about to get into. 

‘Cause the government think that this city is a hot bed of revolutionary activity’ he said, ‘That it’s teeming with Fenians, Bolsheviks, Communists and the like’ 

‘Hmmm,’ said Arin, ‘And isn’t it?’ 

‘Yes, it is’ said Tommy, moving around to the side of the horse she was stood, ‘But they’re too disparate to actually work together. They’re also looking for something.’

‘Looking for something?’ she asked carefully. 

He looked at her considering, his eyes were boring into hers, trying to find any hint of deceit or deception. She tried to keep her face as blank and impassive as possible. Tommy took a deep breath, pushing his cap off the back of his head and scratching his scalp with the heel of his hand. 

‘Yes,’ he said finally, ‘They’re looking for missing guns’ 

‘Guns?’ she asked quietly.

‘Yes’ he said, ‘Twenty-five lewis machine guns, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, two mortars, and thirty semi-automatic rifles.’ 

Arin couldn’t help but gape at his words. She gulped, realising her throat was utterly parched. 

‘That’s enough to equip a small army’ she said eventually. 

‘Quite’ he said slowly, ‘It was all bound for Libya, in a standard commission crate.’ 

‘How do you know all this?’ she asked, wondering if she wanted the answer. Once he told her, she was in possession of some extremely dangerous information. Sometimes there was a measure of bliss in ignorance. 

Tommy took her hand and led her into one of the small stables, past a stack of tack at the back, and behind some boxes that were lying haphazardly. Tommy squeezed in between two stacks of clean hay, pulling her through the gap. She could see in the gloomy corner there was upturned container box like shape from a canal boat covered with tarpaulin. 

‘Here?’ she asked, shocked at the brazenness, as Tommy gestured.

‘They’ll be moved tonight’ he said, ‘When the moon is dark’. 

‘How did you get them?’ she breathed, not really daring to step any closer. 

‘It was a mistake’ he said, taking her hand again and pulling her back through the gap, ‘But now I’ve got them…’ 

‘What are you going to do with them?’ she asked. 

‘This town is crawling with coppers looking’ he said, ‘They’re terrified they’ll fall into the hands of the IRA.’ 

Arin’s eyes widened at the mention of the men who had gathered in her home country to fight the British, and make the free Ireland declared in 1916 a reality. She’d heard her brother talking about a free and independent Ireland, before he’d gone off and got himself killed. She didn’t know much about the politics, and less still about the methods. She didn’t really want to know.

‘And what’s this got to do with me?’ she asked, looking up at him, catching his gaze as he stared intently down at her. 

‘Well, you used to be a Finleigh’ he said, ‘You know what it’s like when things get dangerous. You have to outmanoeuvre the opposition.’

He was close enough to her now that he was practically whispering, and yet she didn’t step away from him. He’d just told her his most dangerous secret, and it instantly felt like dynamite in her body, the information volatile and ready to burn. It was like he was a magnet, pulling her ever closer to the chaos in which he existed. She moved her hands to his shoulders, to see whether he would protest, but he didn’t. She could feel the hard muscle of his lithe body under his coat. A different one to the one he had placed around her shoulders last night she noticed. His fingers rose to brush her cheek, where she could feel a bruise tightening and darkening from her experience last night.

His lips were right in front of hers, so close she could feel his breath. She wasn’t going to step forward, to make the final move, but then she didn’t have to and he did it instead. His lips were on hers and he was kissing her again, the same as the night before. This time it wasn’t just a peck where she didn’t have to respond; it was a searching kiss, as he looked for a response from her. She gave it, wrapping her hands around his body and pulling him in so there was no space left between them. His lips were soft, warm and inviting. 

She was aware of nothing as he bore them backwards towards the stable wall, never breaking the kiss. Her back hit the wall, and he was taking up all the space in front of her, physically and mentally. Her breathing was heavy and his was hot. She sensed in him a desperate, tangible need, that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. He was never vulnerable with anybody, and yet here he was, being vulnerable with her. His tongue touched her lower lip, asking for entry to her mouth which she gave, her hands moving to the back of his neck, feeling the knot of muscle at the base where it connected to his spine. There was no space between them as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, and his hands moved to her waist under her coat, the warmth of his skin seeping through the wool material. 

She broke away a moment later. 

‘Tommy…’ she said, putting her hands on his chest momentarily, creating some space as she trailed off. 

‘I know,’ he said, catching his breath, ‘I’m sorry’ 

She vaguely wondered whether this was the first time he’d apologised to anybody. 

‘Don’t be sorry’ she said with a smile, ‘I want to kiss you, and kiss you again, but I just thought we better stop before…’ 

Tommy smirked down at her, his blue eyes cooling before hers. His hands were still on her waist, and hers on his chest. He hadn’t tried to step back. 

A sound of running feet broke them apart a moment later, and Tommy looked around, his hand twitching towards his coat lapel, under which Arin knew his gun was stored. 

‘Ere Tommy!’ it was a young boy who Arin had seen around and about the streets of Small Heath. 

‘Bobby what is it?’ asked Tommy, pulling away from her. 

‘It’s coppers Tommy, they’re in the lane!’ he shouted. 

Tommy’s eyes widened before he swore loudly. His eyes flashed to Arin’s, who didn’t say a word, not trusting herself to speak. 

‘You stay ‘ere and come along in five minutes with Arin, alright Bobby?’ he shouted at the boy as he strode past, leaving Arin in the stable. And with that he was gone in a whirl of a coat. 

It took a moment for Bobby to sidle up to her, a look of caution in his eyes as he surveyed her. 

‘It’s alright,’ she said, ‘Bobby, was it?’

‘That’s right’ he said cautiously, looking up and down. He was clearly trying to decide whether she was a whore or not. 

‘My name’s Arin’ she said. 

He nodded, still looking at her cautiously. 

‘Are you Mr Shelby’s woman?’ he asked bluntly, in the way that only small children can. 

‘Errr,’ she said, ‘I don’t think so’ 

‘So why was he kissing you?’ he said. 

Arin didn’t reply; children missed nothing. 

‘It alright Miss,’ he said, ‘If your Mr. Shelby’s woman, you gonna be alright around here’ 

She half nodded, dazed at his level of perceptiveness. 

‘Come on then’ he said, ‘Tommy said to follow’ 

He held out a little pudgy hand and she took it, allowing him to lead back up along The Cut, and to where Tommy’s tailcoats had disappeared to. They were walking along a grimy alleyway, the walls black with soot, when two coppers came into view, blocking the gap at the end. 

‘What we got ‘ere then?’ said one of them, his ugly grin covering half of his face. 

‘What do you want?’ asked Arin, pushing Bobby behind her slightly. 

‘We’re just having fun in Garrison Lane’ said the copper, pulling her towards the gap at the end of the alley and into the street, his grip pressing on a bruise that had been inflicted last night. Before he could roughhouse her anymore, she’d elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to wheeze out his breath and let go. There was a cacophony of noise around here as the lane swarmed with police officers, some involved in fights, others roughhousing women and children, others dragging what little things of value there was from the houses and into the street, wrecking them in the process. Some of the men had clearly been dragged out of bed, as they were shirtless, being shoved face first into walls or onto the floor. 

‘’Ere, stop that!’ shouted Arin, as he saw one policeman trying to nick Jane Washer’s coin purse from this morning. 

‘What you going do about it?’ asked the copper, red in the face and bloodshot of eye with brutality. 

‘This!’ shouted Arin, raising her fist and punching the man in the face, twice. He roared with pain as his nose exploded in a shower of blood and he fell backwards, stumbling. 

A whistle blew suddenly and loudly throughout the lane, ricocheting off the walls. The coppers immediately scarpered back up the lane like rats in a bolthole, leaving a mess of destruction in their wake. Arin looked up briefly to see how had blown the whistle, to see a man in a bowler hat, sitting astride a black charger, alongside two other police officers on horses. He turned the horse sharply and disappeared, his army of coppers running alongside him. 

There was a breath, a pause, as Arin looked around, surveying the scene. There were men lying on the ground, groaning, clutching their faces, their women leaning over them. There were children clumped in groups, some of them were crying, their muddy faces streaked with tear tracks. Some of the younger men were nursing their heads, or look around wildly, still squaring for a fight. 

There was another brief pause, before the lane was bustling once again, men came from the direction of The Garrison pub, helping the men get to their feet, moving broken furniture out of doorways, handing a few coins here and there to various women. These were Tommy’s men; ensuring that the street still knew that the Peaky Blinders were here for them, and that they’d been caught off guard just as much as they had this morning. Being caught off guard wasn’t a good look for the Blinders, but they were doing everything they could now to rectify that. People seemed immediately grateful for the help, getting up and brushing themselves off.

Arin saw John was coming towards her, his cap firmly on his head and his expression dark. He handed some money to Jimmy Jones, and directed some men to help repair a cupboard that had nearly been smashed to bits. 

‘What are you doing ‘ere?’ asked John, looking down at her. 

‘Tommy told me to come find him, I assumed he’d be here,’ she said. 

‘You get in a scrap?’ asked John looking at her knuckles, which were reddening and fast bruising. 

‘Punched a copper’ she said with a shrug, ‘Twice’ 

John couldn’t help but snort with laughter at that, ‘Well Tommy’s not here, he’s at the house.’

‘Does he want to see me?’ Arin asked cautiously. 

‘What Tommy wants is fuckin’ mystery to most’ said John, ‘But if he told you to follow, I guess he does’ 

‘Alright’ she said, ‘Are you staying out here?’ 

‘Aye,’ said John, ‘Gotta help out’

Arin nodded, ‘Alright, I’ll see you at the house in a bit’ 

But John wasn’t paying attention anymore, instead he was rounding up the street’s children to go and get help from various places that they would be able to run faster than adults. Bobby had left her side and joined one of the gangs of children.

Arin picked her way up the street towards the Shelby house, people tooing and froing in front of her. It didn’t look like anybody was too badly hurt; it was mostly surface damage, but the coppers had done what they intended to do; they’d thrown the street into disarray and to shake people up. Arin remembered the self-satisfied smirk of the copper on horseback; he didn’t care about these people. She’d always distrusted policemen. They’d never done her any favours when she was back in Dublin, and it didn’t look like the ones here were much different.

She stopped outside the door of the Shelby place. Last night when she’d been in here, she’d been carried through the door by Tommy. She didn’t know whether she should knock. She decided that in the cacophony of noise that was engulfing the street at the moment, nobody would hear her. She pushed on the door, opened it, and went inside. 

It was noisy in the house too. The door to the “hidden” bookmakers was open, and people were hurrying about, some with money, others with paper slips, some with boxes. There was nobody placing bets; most of the men had gone outside to help in the clean-up of the street. She could see Pol standing over the main table, her eyes moving as she read the morning paper. Finn was standing by the fireplace, looking nervous and out of place, as if he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. 

‘Hello Polly,’ said Arin, moving forward. 

‘You here for Tommy?’ Polly asked without looking up, ‘He’s in the study’ 

‘Thank you’ said Arin, dodging behind Polly and up the small corridor towards the study she had sat in only last night. It felt like an age ago. She knocked on the door, her knuckles rapping on the wood. 

‘Come in’ came the voice from the other side. 

Arin opened the door, and went inside. Slipping through the crack in the door and closing it behind her. Tommy looked up from the desk that he was leaning over, his arms spread wide, and his eyes met hers.

‘You get caught’ he said. 

It wasn’t a question and she could see that he was looking at her knuckles, even from that distance. 

‘Not exactly,’ she said, speaking anyway, ‘I hit a copper’ 

Tommy couldn’t help but smile, ‘I guessed you knew how to fight. It’s why I left you with Bobby. I thought you’d be okay.’

She shrugged, ‘It’s in my blood’

Tommy stood up straight and walked towards her, she wondered what he was doing, before he reached for the door. 

‘Polly!’ he yelled, ‘And the rest of you; I know you’re there, meeting now!’ 

A few seconds later the tramp of feet came up the corridor and in came Polly, John, Arthur, and even Ada bringing up the rear. John had clearly come back in from the street to get something, and his timing was advantageous to Tommy. 

Arin put her hand on the latch to leave as Ada shut the door behind her. She caught Ada’s eye and there was a flash of recognition. Arin realised she was the girl she’d seen running from the alley several nights she had been working at The Garrison. Arin assumed that she was desperately trying to keep her male companion secret, and she gave a miniscule nod to Ada, in the hope she would be understood. 

‘You stay’ said Tommy, as Arin turned to leave. 

Arin looked up, her eyes widening. Arthur started to say something, but Tommy held up his hand, trucking no dispute. Arthur shut his mouth. John sat down on the arm of a chair, chewing a toothpick.

‘This copper’ said Tommy, pointing at the door, to the figurative mess in the street outside, ‘Wants to meet me. Wants to bargain with me. He had Jeremiah deliver a note.’

‘What does Jeremiah have to do with it?’ asked John, his voice suspicious. 

‘Nothing, I doubt it’ said Arthur. 

‘You should do it’ said Polly, ‘If it’s going to look like this when you don’t’

Tommy shook his head, ‘No’ 

Polly opened her mouth to disagree instantly, gesturing towards the door. 

‘You don’t bargain when you’re on the back foot’ said Tommy. 

‘So what do you suggest we do?’ said John, his foot swinging back and forth. 

Tommy didn’t move for a moment, contemplating what to do, Arin could practically see the cogs of his brain working as he figured out a plan. Then he pointed to John and to Arthur. 

‘Tell everyone to give us their pictures of the King, get Finn to ‘elp,’ he said, ‘and bring them to Garrison Lane at 7pm. We’ll pay them for them.’ 

‘What is going through your mind Tommy?’ asked Polly, her face puzzled. 

Tommy looked around them, and there was a beat, ‘We’re going to have a bonfire.’


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Arin let the fire warm her. She was standing about two metres away from it, a smoking cigarette in between her fingers. She could see Tommy over the other side of the pyre, talking to a member of the press. The man looked intensely nervous, his hands almost shaking as he wrote down whatever he was being told on a reporter’s notebook. Tommy’d invited the man here tonight once the plan had crystallised in his mind. This would make that inspector sit up and take notice.

Arin wasn’t really paying attention to them anymore; instead she was watching the flames lick higher and higher, across the broad face of George V. She felt nothing as it burnt; this was the king who was doing nothing as her country struggled for independence. His family, his grandmother, had a hand in the mass starvation of the Irish people. Or rather not; they’d sat by and watched it happen, claiming that they could do nothing. That was probably the reason that most of these second, and third generation Irish had ended up in Birmingham in the first place. Their parents and grandparents had fled the famine; upping sticks and heading out into the great unknown rather than facing starvation. 

Tommy, on the other hand, was a patriot. As much as Tommy was anything that didn’t directly serve himself. He had served his country for three and half years during the war. Earned gallantry medals from what she’d heard. He joined up in late 1914, getting to France in the early months of 1915, and served right through until the end. He was one of the “lucky” ones who had made it home. From what Arin heard of stories of men plagued with demons whether whilst sleeping or waking, and what she’d seen of some of them on the street, she wasn’t sure how much luck was involved at all. 

The reporter disappeared a moment later. Tommy hadn’t even looked at him through all the time of their meeting; his eyes had simply been gazing into the flames, his cap pulled forward so that they were almost hidden. They flicked to the left and caught hers. She didn’t look away, as he took a drag of his cigarette and the ashen end glowed. His eyes were intense and she could see his clever mind working behind. 

The fire was hot against her face and she backed away through the crowd a little towards the back, and away from Tommy’s gaze. Arthur was stood at the back of the crowd with a bottle of whisky; he took a swig and offered her the bottle. She took this to be an honour; the Shelby’s didn’t share their whisky with just anyone. She took a swig and handed it back. 

‘I’m going to head home’ said Arin, ‘Job well done here tonight’ 

‘Alright’ he said, his voice thick with the drink, ‘Are you going to be okay?’

Arthur wasn’t really one to ask about how someone was doing. Arin took a breath, knowing he was talking about the previous evening before speaking, ‘I’ll be back to work tomorrow’ 

‘Finn will be with you all day’ said Arthur with a shrug, ‘Me and the others are off to go look at a horse’ 

‘Oh aye?’ she said, ‘Where from?’ 

‘Johnny Dogs has got a nice one, out with the Lees’ said Arthur, with half a shrug.

Arin had heard the name of the Lees several times since she had been here, and it had never been associated with anything good. Some people called Tommy a gypsy, or a tinker, but that was nothing compared to the names thrown at the Lees. She guessed Tommy knew what he was doing though, he usually did. Or at least, he thought he did.

‘Alright Arthur, I’ll say goodnight’ said Arin. 

He didn’t say anything, but raised the whiskey bottle in salute, and she walked away, leaving the rowdiness and the heat of the fire behind her. She didn’t really feel the need to tell Tommy she was leaving, he’d probably already noticed. She wasn’t going to hang about at his side telling him her every move. She was dog tired, and ready for her rest.

**

She went to work as normal the next day, but she couldn’t help but feel skittish, knowing that Tommy and his brothers were out dealing with the Lee family. She’d heard that they were nothing but bad news, and while she wasn’t sure the Shelby’s were much different, at least she was on the right side of this set of bad news. It wasn’t the only reason she was nervous; the pub was half full now, but she couldn’t help but keep glancing at the patch of floor where she’d been shoved to her knees. She desperately tried not to think too much about it, she _hadn’t_ been raped, she’d been rescued. Yet the feel of that man’s grip on her hips would stay with her for a long time. She had nearly jumped through the roof when Bill had touched her shoulder without her noticing he’d approached. 

She tried to keep her head in the work, but she kept glancing up at the door. It wasn’t that busy in the pub that day; nothing that she couldn’t easily cope with, but that meant that her mind was free to wander. Finn lounged about in the pub all day, playing with a coin, or playing with his jacks on the floor. The ball kept rolling away as he missed catching it, and attempted to pick up as many of the sheep’s knuckles as possible. It was well into the night and she was thinking about closing up, when the door opened and Bobby came in. 

‘Ere, Miss!’ he yelled sprinting up the bar, dodging past a drunk man who was weaving his way out, attempting to sing a shanty under his breath. Finn was asleep in a booth.

‘What is it Bobby?’ she asked, alert.

‘Tommy wants to see you!’ he said, slightly out of breath. 

Arin looked across at Bill, who half shrugged, gesturing around the quiet pub. 

‘If it’s quick I’ll be right back Bill’ she said, dropping her cloth on the back bar and heading out. Bobby ran in front of her. 

‘What’s wrong Bobby?’ she asked as they hurried down the dirty street. 

‘Dunno, just know that Mr Tommy wants to see you’ said Bobby.

‘And what Mr. Tommy wants, he usually gets’ said Arin, more to herself than the child who was hurrying in front of her. 

It didn’t take them long to reach the Shelby residence, and Bobby left her at the door. She wondered if she should knock, but guessed that she was probably allowed to just walk in. She opened the door and stepped inside the hallway. It was a flurry of activity inside, people hurrying around as they closed up the betting shop. Aunt Pol was doing the count in the corner, stacks of silver coins on an open book in front of her, pen in hand, John was sitting on the table beside her, gun on the table. He was clearly guarding the take, despite the fact that everyone who was in here should be trustworthy. Arin noticed that John had a fast forming black eye. Tommy was nowhere to be seen. 

At that moment, Arthur sidled out of the study, cap in hand. Arthur was similarly injured as John, and he had a cut over the bridge of his nose. Pol made a noise of disgust as Arthur walked past. 

‘He’s in the study’ said Arthur unnecessarily, as Arin had already guessed that’s where he’d be. 

She nodded and passed, noticing that John gripped at his shoulder suddenly with a wince on his face. Clearly there had been quite a fight. She entered the study to find Tommy, sitting with his back to the door, staring into the lit fire. 

‘Not now, Pol, I don’t need another lecture’ he said, his voice tired, without turning around. 

‘It’s not Pol,’ Arin said, ‘It’s me. You sent Bobby for me?’

Tommy turned around at her voice, his frown deepening, ‘No I didn’t’

Arin raised her eyebrows, ‘Well that’s what Bobby said’ 

‘Hmmmph’ said Tommy, his eyes were dark, ‘Pol must have sent him’ 

‘Shall I go?’ she asked, her hand on the latch. He was clearly in a black mood. 

Tommy shook his head, ‘No. Stay.’

Arin nodded, taking her hand from the door. 

‘Come, sit’ he said. 

She walked carefully up to the desk and sat down opposite him, crossing her ankles as she did so. 

‘Smoke?’ he asked her. 

‘It’s alright,’ she said, ‘I’ve got some of me own’ 

He nodded as she reached inside the small pocket of her dress and drew out her brass cigarette case. She struck a match on the side of it and lit it, breathing deep the fumes. Tommy leant forward to reach his own cigarette case. She noticed that his knuckles were bruised and that one of them was swollen and discoloured, and that he winced when it touched something. Broken finger perhaps. His face, on the other hand, seemed unscathed. He reached for the pocket watch he kept fastened on his jacket and glanced at it, before unlatching it from its button and putting it on the desk. 

‘What happened then?’ she asked. 

‘Well, we got the ‘orse’ he said quietly, gesturing with the cigarette. 

‘Aye?’ she asked, ‘And a fight by the looks of it’ 

Tommy shrugged in response, and then reached into his desk draw and pulled something out before handing it to her. It was a bullet. She turned it over in her hands, the cool gold colour casing had been etched with a word. 

‘TOMMY’ she said dispassionately, ‘They were quick off the mark’ 

She set it back on the desk in front of him.

‘It’s not the first time I’ve had a death threat’ he said with a shrug, ‘Or a declaration of war’

‘Hmmm’ she said, not really knowing what to say, ‘What happened?’ 

‘They called our mother a whore’ he said simply, tapping the ash of the end of his cigarette, ‘Nobody insults the Shelby family and gets away with it’ 

‘Did you pick the fight?’ she asked daringly. Tommy raised an eyebrow and half shrugged. 

Arin nodded, knowing this was the way things were, ‘Was the horse worth it?’ 

Tommy couldn’t help himself but smirk, ‘Tell you what, I’ll take you down to see him tomorrow. How about it?’ 

‘That would be nice’ she said. 

‘Do you ride?’ he asked, in a half rhetorical question. 

‘Tommy,’ she said raising her eyebrow, ‘With our background you should know the answer to that. I’m like you’ 

‘Oh aye,’ he said, ‘Riding before you could walk’ 

She nodded, ‘Although it’s been a long time since I rode for fun. Or rode at all for that matter.’ 

‘We’ll go for a ride at some point’ he promised. He picked up the bullet and put it back in his desk drawer. He then rubbed his temple, his eyes closing for a moment. She could see that he was thinking things over, wondering if whatever gamble he was about to make was going to pay off. 

‘Are you alright?’ she asked him. 

‘There are nights when I know it will be bad’ he said softly, ‘Tonight is one of those nights’

‘France?’ she asked quietly. He didn’t reply, he just nodded. She knew that many of the men who had come back from France were haunted either in their sleeping or waking hours, by what had transpired over there. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the things they had gone through; the things they had seen. She’d read some of the stories, and even some of the poetry that had been written about it, her mind trying to picture some of the dreadful scenes, but she guessed that she was woefully short. Her ma had always thought it odd that she’d taken so much interest in reading, and that it didn’t do her any good to read of such things. 

‘Stay with me tonight?’ Tommy asked suddenly. His blue eyes were fixed upon hers, debating what her answer would be. This was just another of the small gambles that he took all day.

She hesitated momentarily. To stay with him through the night would be crossing an invisible and yet very tangible line. It was the suggestion of something, regardless of what actually happened. 

‘Yes,’ she said eventually, ‘Yes, I’ll stay with you’ 

He let out a breath that she hadn’t even realised he was holding. 

‘Thank you’ he said under his breath, ‘That makes the prospect of tonight a little easier’ 

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She knew that things were now changed. Agreeing to stay with a man for the night meant certain things would be thought, whether they were true or not. 

Tommy winced as he straightened his fingers to pick up a pen before gripping it, his face tightening in pain. 

‘That needs setting’ she said, glancing at his finger. 

‘Do you know ought about it?’ he asked. 

‘I used to patch up our gang from time to time’ she said with a shrug, ‘I know enough to set a finger’ 

He nodded, ‘Alright then. It’s smarting something fierce’. 

‘I’ll go get some stuff’ said Arin. 

‘Get some whisky whilst you’re out there,’ said Tommy, ‘I’ve run out’ 

Arin nodded, getting up and heading for the door. She opened it and went out into the small corridor. Arthur’s little office that he shared with Pol was off here. It had quietened down a little in the time she’d been in the office with Tommy. Arthur was sitting with his feet on the table, his shoes on the floor. Pol and John had both disappeared.

‘Can I ‘ave some bandages and a small stick or two; for a finger splint’ said Arin to the room, ‘Where might I find them?’ 

‘In the storeroom over there’ said Arthur, gesturing to the side. He looked tired, and he ran his hand backwards across his eyes. Arin nodded and headed over, opening the little room and looking inside. There were all sorts of supplies in here; locked boxes and random bits of paper, booking slips, odd coins and the such like. Arin’s eyes lighted on what looked like a box of first aid supplies. She opened it and grabbed some bandages that she spotted. She also managed to find two sticks that she could makeshift into a splint. She put them in her dress pocket with the cigarette case and headed out of the room. 

Arthur had taken his feet off the table, and instead his head was on it, and he was falling asleep, his eyes flickering closed. The room was empty apart from that. Arin walked back across it, her heels clicking softly on the floor. As she moved back to the study Ada walked in the front door. She looked windswept and her cheeks were rosy with running. She caught Arin’s eye and just shrugged with a smirk. Arin knew that look, but chose not to say a word as Ada hurried upstairs. She picked up the bottle of whisky next to Arthur’s hand; it still had three quarters of the amber liquid in it. She vaguely wondered who on earth would make Ada risk being caught by her brothers. Maybe she was past caring about it. 

She went back into the small study room and saw that Tommy hadn’t moved, and that his eyes were still considering her. She walked over and set the whisky on the desk before moving around to the side he was sitting. He was watching her closely as she hitched up her dress slightly to allow her to kneel down. She sat on the floor beside his chair and took his hand from his lap. It was impossible for him to ignore the erotic suggestion of her kneeling near his lap, and he shifted slightly to make himself slightly more comfortable. She chose to ignore it at that particular moment, instead concentrating on the hand held in hers. 

He breathed in through his teeth as she touched his fingers, and ran her hand across to the third finger, second knuckle. 

‘This will hurt’ she said, looking up at him. 

He nodded and took a slug of the whisky from the bottle that was sitting on the desk. 

She pressed on the knuckle to straighten it as he grunted in pain, pulling the joint into the correct position, but she quickly put the two makeshift splints in place and wrapped the bandage securely and tightly, before tying it off. The whole thing took minutes; it felt like a simple enough break.

‘There’ she said, giving him his hand back, ‘It’ll have to stay like that for a least a week. And it might be a bit stiff’ 

‘As long as I can still ball it into a fist’ he said with half a grin. 

‘Not for a week’ said Arin, sitting back on her heels and standing up, smoothing out her dress. She put the excess bandages on the top of the desk, looking at her handiwork, she gestured to the bottle of whisky, ‘May I?’ 

Tommy nodded and she took a swig from the bottle, she was still standing next to him, but then he gestured to his lap. She hesitated for a moment, once again, before perching on his knee and allowing him to wrap a hand around her waist to pull her close. He was slouched in his chair slightly, so there was plenty of room, and she leaned into the warmth of him. 

‘So why Fletcher?’ he asked after a moment, his change of subject almost making her want to get up again, ‘What made you choose that?’

Instead she took another swig of the whisky before answering. He motioned for the bottle and she handed it to him. 

‘There was a boy’ she said, ‘A young man really’

Tommy’s eyes betrayed nothing as she spoke. 

‘He told me that he loved me,’ she said, ‘And then he went away to war and he never came back. His name was Fletcher.’ 

Tommy nodded again, ‘Did you love him?’

Arin shrugged, ‘It felt like it at the time. I’m not sure. I’ve had so many people die on me that I’m not sure I remember what love feels like.’

‘Hmmph’ said Tommy. 

‘And you don’t believe in love’ said Arin, reading his expression, ‘Because you’ve seen the absolute worst that men’s emotions can create’ 

There was a pause.

‘You’re not a virgin, are you?’ he asked, his eyes flickering dangerously. 

It was a very forward question, and any well to do lady would have struck him at the mere suggestion. Arin, however, wasn’t a well to do lady, and she couldn’t help but grin at his temerity. 

‘No, no I’m not’ she answered, from her position on his knee, ‘Does that bother you?’

‘Well, I can’t say that the idea of you naked with another man doesn’t make me feel jealous’ said Tommy, his voice quiet, ‘And yet the idea of you naked…’ 

She giggled lightly, she leaned forward and kissed him, enjoying the closeness that their sitting position allowed her. His uninjured hand was holding her in place on her waist. The other came up to stroke her cheek. She took it in one of her own and placed it brazenly on the side of her breast through her dress. He grinned into the kiss, stroking his thumb across the swell of her body through the material. He stroked from her breast to her waist and back again, and she couldn’t help but shiver slightly in appreciation. She didn’t move her hands anywhere below his waist. This was far enough for her at the moment. Virgin or not, she wanted to be more sure of him before anything else. 

Tommy broke the kiss a moment later, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He seemed to appreciate what she was thinking without her having to say it. He gestured her off his lap and she stood up beside him as he spoke, ‘Come on’ 

She had promised him that she would stay the night, and despite the fact he had relaxed somewhat, she could still see the slight flicker of fear in his face. Something about fighting, even though he did it all the time, set him on edge. Maybe that was why he’d been awake the other night when the whole house had gone to bed. The confrontation in the pub had riled him up enough that it had made it too difficult for him to sleep fitfully. Something about her, however, seemed to calm him, like a stressed horse when it saw its rider. 

The room outside the study was empty now. Everyone had either gone home, or gone to bed. Arin flicked an eye towards the betting shop and saw that there was a man playing solitaire sitting at the table. She figured that he was on night guard duty.   
Tommy took her by the hand and led up the stairs, past all the closed bedroom doors and into one at the end of the corridor that was open. His room was quite small, with a single bed pushed into the corner, a dresser and a bedside table. She entered and he shut the door behind her. 

‘Every night,’ he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed, ‘I hear shovels against that wall’ 

His head cocked to the wall next to the window, ‘And I lie paralysed, pressed to the mattress, hoping that I will wake up before they break through’ 

‘And do you?’ she asked softly. 

‘Sometimes’ he said, ‘Sometimes not’

She kicked off her shoes, before putting them neatly next to a pair of his riding boots by the dresser. 

‘Come here’ he said. She walked over and sat down next to him on the bed, ‘It’s not what you think.’ 

‘I didn’t really think anything,’ she said, looking across at him, ‘I trust you, Tommy’ 

‘I used to imagine a girl in the war,’ he said, ‘To help me through from time to time.’

‘And I can help?’ she said gently, letting him continue.

‘Aye, you can help’ he said, ‘Because the girl was you’ 

‘Me?’ she asked, intensely surprised, ‘How?’ 

Tommy picked up a square of card from his bedside table and handed it to her. She turned it over to see her own, younger face, looking back at her. She remembered having this photo taken just over four years ago, how she’d thought it silly that her father wanted a photo of her to take away to war. She traced her finger over the sepia colouring. 

‘Your father dropped it in a trench,’ said Tommy, ‘I picked it up. And somehow I’ve still got it. It became like a token for me Arin. I don’t know why, and I don’t know what for. But somehow… it was you.’ 

His voice was a little gruff, and she was slightly speechless. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. His lips moved against hers with a safe familiarity that he had found yesterday in the stable, and just now in the study. She turned towards him, and slid her hand around the back of his close-cropped hair, feeling the dents and ridges in his skull as she did so. The kiss deepened and her breath quickened as his tongue sought hers, and his hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer to him. She could feel the hard muscles of his chest, and she felt her breasts flatten slightly as the gap between them closed completely. She felt one of his hands move from her waist to the side of her breast, without her prompting this time, feeling her heartbeat through the soft curve of flesh and the hard bone of her rib. He pushed her gently down onto the cover, his warm weight above her, his legs still alongside hers. She shifted her body against his as the kiss continued, their breathing slow and intense.

Then he broke away, and sat up, both their breathing heavier. 

‘We should stop’ he said, ‘I didn’t bring you here for a fuck’ 

His bluntness amused her somewhat and she nodded, ‘I know’

‘If I keep going that’s all I’m going to want to do’ he said with a shrug, ‘Having you near me is like that’

Arin couldn’t help but blush a tiny bit as she sat up. 

He turned to the opium pipe he kept on his bedside table, she’d spotted it on the way in. She had never been exposed to opium before. She’d known that people did burn it and she knew what the supposed effects were. He unpacked some of the black gooey substance from a paper wrapper and stuffed it in the end of the pipe. Before he attempted to light it, he turned back to her, motioning for her to stand up. She did so, standing in front him. For some reason this man had understood her, and in a way, she understood him. Despite everything she had seen and heard, she trusted him. 

He reached down and pulled her dress up, standing up as he did so, and motioned for her to put her arms over her head. She did and he slipped it off her shoulders, leaving her in her light blue shift and underclothes. His eyes devoured the shape of her body through the thin material; resting on where her nipples were poking up through the cotton because of the cold. He then saw to himself, sliding his braces down, and unbuttoning the first three buttons on his shirt. She could just see the edges of a blue tattoo on the top of his chest, and a scar on the opposite side, that looked like it might have been caused by shrapnel. He took her hands in his; they were warm now, instead of slightly chilled as they had been earlier. He shifted backwards, giving her space in front of him.

She laid down on the bed, pulled the blanket over her legs, with his warm body behind hers. He leant up onto an elbow momentarily to light the opium pipe. It took a moment to catch, as he sucked in through the end. It eventually did and the smoke drifted towards them. She lay watched, as the fumes lazily curled in her direction. Tommy had already been hit by his first inhalation and he almost fell onto the pillow, his eyes flickering closed. Before he was pulled under into unconsciousness, however, he put his hand over her hip and pulled her close, so she could feel his legs behind hers, and his chest against her back, as they fitted together like a puzzle. 

The opium hit and it snaked its way through her brain, dulling all of her senses and clogging her airways. She felt like she was drowning and yet she wasn’t scared. She took a deep breath of the water, let it fill her lungs, and her eyes flickered closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to LadyRedStar and patsita8 for your lovely comments! Also thanks to everyone who has left Kudos and/or subscribed! x Hope you enjoy... feedback is very much appreciated!


	7. Chapter 7

She awoke suddenly the next morning to a loud bang of wood on wood as the door was thrown open. The curtains were closed, but daylight was lightening the room.

‘TOMMY!’ came the accompanying voice to the bang, ‘Oh-

She opened an eye to see Arthur standing in the doorway to the bedroom, cap in hand, and his face going slightly red. 

‘Arthur,’ said Tommy, instantly alert, sitting up behind her, ‘Give me three minutes, and I’ll be there’

Arthur nodded, shifting from foot to foot, looking awkward in the doorway. 

‘Yessum, right’ he said, ‘Sorry Miss’ 

Arin shook her head to let him know that it was alright as he left. He closed the door behind him, before she sat up and stretched, feeling her back ease gratefully at the movement after a night of prolonged stillness. She’d barely dreamed and hadn’t felt the passing of time. That opium was strong stuff. Tommy stroked her back through her shift absently before he started to move. 

‘Guess that’s any form of secrecy blown’ she said to Tommy, who was shifting down the bed behind her. 

He didn’t reply, but she practically felt his shrug. She felt as if he had almost meant to be discovered with her, to make any revelations to his family, that bit easier. She guessed that they were used seeing random women in bed with him. For some reason that thought made a little shiver of jealousy run through her.

She stood up and looked around for her dress to pull it down over her head. It was in a puddle of material by the side of the bed, right where Tommy had taken it off the night before. It was a little creased, but it would serve. She could hear Tommy getting dressed behind her, but didn’t know he’d moved towards her until she felt a hand on her waist, and he turned her around to face him. Her gaze searched his eyes, where she was beginning to realise that she could see his soul if his guard was down, and he was letting her in.

‘Last night,’ he said, resting his head against the side of hers, ‘Las’ night was the first night in months where they didn’t come through the wall’ 

She stroked her fingers through his hair, letting his head rest for a moment. He stood up fully a moment later and kissed her gently on the mouth. She enjoyed the taste of him. The mint had worn off from the previous night, as had his cologne, and the smell was simply Tommy. This room was his shelter, and right now it was their cocoon, with the outside world threatening to break in through the cracks.

‘Good morning’ he said eventually.

She smiled at his slightly out-of-place sentiment, ‘Morning’

‘I could get used to this’ he said, his hands still on her waist.

‘To what?’ 

‘To you being there for me to say hello to first thing’ he said softly. 

She hesitated. He’d not actually extended an invitation to make that reality, although it was well within his power to do so. Instead of speaking she merely smiled and kissed him again. 

‘I should go’ she said, moving away from him, ‘You’ve got family to deal with’ 

‘Aye,’ he said, gesturing after where Arthur had disappeared to, ‘And business’ 

She nodded, ‘I’ll be at work later if you want me’ 

‘I’ll want you’ he said quietly as she pulled her shoes on, fastening the laces. She didn’t say another word, but turned to leave his room. Tommy watched her go, his first cigarette of the day between his lips. As Arin walked down the corridor and to the top of the stairs, she could see most of the family were already gathered around the kitchen table, and she didn’t have a hope in hell of slipping past them without them seeing. She would be quick though. She knew Pol was looking at her as she walked down the stairs and out the door, offering them a quick wave as she passed. The street was waking up around her as she made her way home. Nobody had seen her exit the Shelby household, and she hurried away, towards Uncle Freddie’s. 

**

Tommy watched Arin’s retreating back as she left his bedroom, the way her hips moved and the shape of her legs was just seen through the fabric of her dress. He couldn’t help but feel a flash of desire as she left, but he suppressed it. 

He’d woken in the middle of the night, more used to the effects of the opium than Arin, so therefore it didn’t last as long on him. He’d taken a moment to look down at her, lying beside him on his bed. Since the war, he’d not had a woman lie beside him for the whole night without either fucking him first, or him paying her after. It was a novel phenomenon, and he took a moment to appreciate it. Her body was warm; and for some reason, for whatever reason, he felt safe with her, something that he didn’t often feel. He’d looked down at her again and watched her chest moving up and down in the slow rhythmic breathing of sleep. He couldn’t help but smirk as well; it didn’t hurt that Arin was also fucking beautiful. With that he’d laid back down beside her, aligning their bodies and putting his hands on her waist. In time with the slow rhythm of her breathing, he too had fallen back to sleep. 

He shook himself back to the morning, took another drag on his cigarette as he did up his clean shirt buttons, pulled his braces on, and his waistcoat, before he went to the family meeting. 

**

Arin was at The Garrison later that night when the Shelby brothers walked in. People were clearly used to them in here, and the pub didn’t fall silent as it had that first night in The White Horse. Men did tip their hats as they passed, and space at the bar cleared as they approached the taps. Arthur was grinning at her over the shiny surface as he ordered a pint of beer for him and his brothers. 

‘Arthur’ she said, handing it to him. He smirked at her and raised his pint glass before taking a sip. She vaguely wondered what Tommy had told the family this morning to explain her being in his bed. She wondered if he’d said anything at all, daring them to ask them what place she had there. It was clear that he’d been communicating with her more than he would a common whore that he sometimes picked up. It was also clear that she was vastly more worldly than some of the women round here. It was bound to cause an interest within his family. 

‘Arin,’ said Tommy, taking his pint from Arthur, as the others turned away towards the Shelby nook. 

‘Yes?’ she asked. She could see other eyes in the pub watching them talk, noting whether they were leaning in to talk to one another, and what was being said. Tommy looked nonchalant and relaxed. From the way he was standing, no outsider would guess she’d spent last night in his bed. 

‘I want to take you to the races the weekend after next’ he said matter-of-factly. 

She was taken aback and it must have showed on her face, ‘To Cheltenham?’ 

‘Aye,’ he said, ‘We’re going fishing’ 

And with that cryptic statement he stepped back from the bar and followed his brothers into the snug. She watched his back go, but then snapped out of it to serve one of the canal men their regular beer and chaser. 

**

She worked hard over the next week, wondering when Tommy would show himself again and bring a little bit of chaos into her life. She didn’t see him for several days, but she did hear some of what he’d been up to, through the conversations of some of the men in the pub. Apparently, he’d had to go to the funeral of one of his men who’d been drowned in the canal. According to the half-drunk man who’d told her the story, it wasn’t suspicious, he’d been piss-drunk and he’d fallen in. Being unable to swim, his clothes had worn him down and he’d sunk. He’d been buried in the small ceremony on the hill overlooking small heath. 

Aside from the gossip, Arin found herself looking forward to the moments when she would see Tommy’s face, but she also berated herself for thinking about him so much. It was late afternoon one day and the pub was buzzing with gentle chatter when the door burst open and John came striding in. 

Everyone looked up and around and saw John standing there; long black coat, lethal cap on his high-brow. 

‘Everybody go home!’ he shouted to the pub floor. There was a moment of silence as everyone registered what he’d just said. 

‘Out!!’ he yelled. They didn’t need telling again, and there was a deafening cacophony of noise as chairs scraped backwards and boots skidded out the door of the pub. Pint glasses were left half drunk.

‘What’s all this about?’ asked Bill, cloth over his shoulder. He didn’t even bother looking bewildered or annoyed anymore. Instead, he just looked resigned to whatever was going on. 

‘For your trouble Bill’ said John, putting down two pound notes on the counter, ‘Now clear out’ 

Bill pursed his lips but didn’t say anything, picked up the money and disappeared out the back door. The door to the pub opened again, and in strode Tommy, Arthur, Charlie, Scudboat, and Curly. Well Curly more brought up the back than strode in with them, his hands twisting his cap nervously, and his steps skittish. They were all wearing their caps, and Arin could see the lethal razor blades stitched into the fabric. Her breath hitched as the tension in the room increased.

‘What’s going on?’ she asked, eyes flying to Tommy’s face.

‘We’re meeting Billy Kimber’ said Tommy, his gaze hard.

‘Kimber?’ she asked, her voice fearful, ‘What does he want with you?’ 

‘I caught his attention by punching above my weight’ said Tommy cryptically, dragging a table into the middle of the gangway opposite the front door. Scudboat pulled up three chairs; Tommy sat down heavily in one of them, John and Arthur following suit. Charlie, Scudboat himself, and Curly stood behind them. Charlie put his hand in his trouser pocket, which pushed his coat back, revealing his gun in the holster on his shoulder; within easy grabbing distance if things should start to go south.   
Arin hesitated. She wasn’t dithering exactly, but she hadn’t been told to leave like Bill, but neither had she been told what to do. She certainly didn’t have a seat at the negotiating table. She didn’t know whether to stay or go. 

‘What about her?’ asked Charlie, voicing her thoughts. 

‘Go in the snug, but keep the hatch open’ said Tommy authoritatively, ‘I want someone listening to this’ 

Arin did as she was bid, opening the door to the snug, closing it behind her with a gentle snap, and sitting down on one of the cushioned booth seats. She’d only ever been in here before to clear up glasses, or to serve the odd drink, never to actually sit. She opened the hatch door, so she could hear what was being said outside. None of the men outside the door spoke. 

She heard the door to the pub open. She thought she identified at least four sets of footsteps.

There was a nasally chuckle before a voice she didn’t recognise spoke, ‘I came in here looking for men called Shelby. Seems like they’re waiting for me’ 

Arin cocked her head, straining her ears to listen, imagining that Tommy was simply sitting there looking at the man, waiting for him to state his terms. 

‘But first a drink, seeing as we are in a bar’

There was the sound of footsteps, moving towards the drink.

‘Scudboat’ said Arthur’s voice. 

‘No, Harry’ll get it’ said the nasally voice, Arin supposed that must be Billy Kimber, ‘He’s got a nose like a blood hound. Don’t want me senses dulled by any of your gypsy shit’ 

Arin heard either John or Arthur crack his knuckles. Then the footsteps continued to walk around the bar. Arin didn’t dare move. She was sitting by the hatch, and if he came looking down this end of the bar he’d spot her. Yet if she moved, he’d certainly see the movement. She tried to keep as still as possible and be innocuous, but like a deer caught in the eye of the hunter, it was no good. The man walked to the end of the bar, looking for the whisky and saw the open hatch, and he peered in to investigate. His eyes rested on her face and he smiled a whiskery grin. 

‘Ey up’ he said gesturing into the snug, ‘I’ve found a mouse, sir’ 

‘A mouse?’ asked Billy, confused. 

Arin didn’t have time to protest before the door to the snug had opened, someone else entered and had pulled her to her feet roughly, and out into the main room of the bar. She protested against the movement, but his grip was strong. John was looking at her and seemed unsure whether to leap into action, but Tommy was still looking resolutely forward. 

‘I never approved of women in bars’ said the man she now identified as Billy. He had a pinched face and looked like he had a bad smell under his nose, ‘But when they look like that…’   
Arin ignored him, as the man gripped her upper arm. 

‘Let her go home Billy,’ said John, ‘She’s got nothing to do with it’ 

‘Oh I don’t know’ said Billy, ‘I’d like her to stay. Sam, keep hold of her’ 

The man called Sam didn’t let her go and moved her around to stand next to Billy, who looked her up and down appreciatively. She looked at Tommy’s face; but his face was blank and impassive, as if he’d never seen her before in his life. 

‘So hoo am I talkin’ to?’ asked Billy, moving his attention from Arin to the business at hand, pointing at the three men sitting down, ‘Hoo’s the boss?’ 

There was a moment of silence and Arthur stroked his mustache, ‘Well I’m the eldest’ 

‘I can see that’ sneered Billy in Arthur’s direction.

‘You laughing at my brother?’ asked John, his eyes hard, his jaw set. He was still chewing his toothpick.

Billy scoffed, ‘Right. Well he’s the eldest, you’re clearly the fickest… I’m told the boss is called Tommy. And seeing as you’re looking me up and down like you would this whore here, I’m guessing that’s you!’ 

‘I wanna know what you want,’ said Tommy, a cigarette burning in between his fingers. He hadn’t even looked at Arin. 

‘There have been suspicious betting patterns at Kempton Park. A horse called Monaghan Boy,’ said a thin, scholastic looking man sat next to Kimber, ‘He won twice, and then came last, with over £3,000 bet on it’ 

There was a pause before Tommy spoke, ‘Who am I talking to?’ 

‘What?’ spat Kimber. 

‘Who’s the boss?’ asked Tommy audaciously. 

‘I’m Mr. Kimber’s adviser’ said the scholastic man nervously. 

‘And I’m the fucking boss okay!’ said Kimber standing up, ‘Alright parley over, you fixed a fucking race without my permission, you fucking gypsy scum!’

He took a deep breath before beginning to yell, his spit showering forward, ‘Your level is pimping out whores like this one here, and living off the war pensions of the widows of Garrison Lane. I run the fucking races, and you fixed one of them, so I’m going to have you shot against a post’ 

He turned to Arin and moved a hand up to stroke her cheek, her free hand – that wasn’t being held in the grip of Sam - slapped his away, ‘Maybe after your pimp’s dead you’ll come to me instead’ 

‘Don’t fucking touch me’ she said. He looked as if he might strike her, his flashed livid for a moment.

‘Mr Kimber!’ said Tommy, before Kimber could do anything else, ‘Here’

Tommy threw something and Kimber caught it. Arin saw a flash of gold and knew that it was the bullet that had his name carved into it. 

‘That has my name on it’ said Tommy calmly, ‘From the Lee family. You’re also at war with the Lee family. They’re attacking your bookies, and taking your money, you need our help.’ 

There was a momentarily pause as Kimber considered. 

‘Perhaps we should listen to what Mr. Shelby has to say’ said the man with the glasses, ‘Before we make our decision’ 

‘The Lees are saying that the race tracks are easy pickings’ said Tommy continued, now that he had a moment to make his pitch, ‘Because the policeman are busy with strikes. We have connections, you have muscle. Together we can beat them, divided; maybe not. I admire you Mr. Kimber, I’d be honoured to work with you.’ 

There was another pause as Tommy’s words settled on the room. Arin tried to twist out of Sam’s grip a little but he held firm. 

‘Nobody works wiv me’ said Kimber finally, ‘People work for me’ 

With that he got a coin out of his pocket and flicked it onto the floor, ‘Pick it up pikey!’ 

Tommy and Kimber stared at each other, the tense air of the pub could be cut with a knife. Kimber scoffed a moment before Tommy bent down to pick it up of the floor, trying not to let his pride get the better of him. John immediately shot to his feet. 

‘Sit down!’ Tommy snapped at him as he picked it up. 

There was another pause before Billy spoke again, ‘It’s for the lady’ 

He smiled at her, raising a hand to touch her hair, as if daring her to try and hit at him again. With all her might Arin managed not to. He then walked out, taking his muscle with him. The man called Sam finally let go of Arin’s arm, as the man with glasses got up. 

‘We will be at Cheltenham’ he said to the Shelbys, before putting on his hat. 

‘As will I’ said Tommy, nodding, before the invading men left. Arin rubbed some feeling back into her arm.

There was a breath after they left and the dust settled after their boots. Tommy reached over and picked up his glass of whisky before draining it. He motioned to Curly, who hurried to bolt the door after the men. 

‘So you picked a fucking fight with the Lees on purpose?’ asked Arthur, his eyes wide in disbelief, ‘Tommy, we can’t mess with Billy fucking Kimber’ 

Tommy grinned slightly, ‘Get yourself a decent haircut man; we’re going to the races.’ 

Arthur threw up his hands and scoffed, before drinking his whisky and standing.

‘Come on lads’ said Arthur, to Charlie, Scudboat and Curly, ‘We’ve got to find some boys to help with his hare-brained scheme’ 

‘That’s it Arthur’ said Tommy. Arin could feel the excited energy coming off him.

‘John, go and see whether Jeremiah’s about, I’ve got a job for him’ said Tommy. John nodded and exited the pub, bobbing his head at Arin before heading out. She was still standing right where Sam had left her.

‘I’m sorry about that’ said Tommy taking her by the hand; she resisted the urge to pull it away. 

‘Are you?’ she asked sharply, ‘Why did you tell me to stay? You wanted him to see me’ 

Tommy didn’t deny it, ‘Aye, I did’ 

‘I am not part of any of your bargains, Tommy’ Arin said, taking her hand away, ‘You cannot hold me one night, and then use me the next’ 

‘Did I use you?’ he asked, ‘I wanted Kimber to see you. It sweetens a man’s mind to see a pretty lady.’ 

‘Hmmm’ said Arin, not won over, before stepping up to him, so they were almost nose to nose. 

‘I will help you Tommy’ she said, ‘But you can’t fucking lie to me. I promised not to lie to you.’ 

Tommy didn’t reply, but his blue eyes bore into hers with an intensity she’d not seen before. He wasn’t used to having people swear at him; less still being sworn at by a woman. 

‘I’m going home’ she said, ‘To _my_ home.’ 

Tommy nodded, his hand sliding down her shoulder to catch her hand. Without breaking her gaze he brought it to his lips and kissed it. She pulled it away as she stepped away towards the door. 

‘We will meet Mr Kimber again’ he said, ‘Buy a green dress’ 

‘Green?’ she asked, turning back despite herself. 

‘To match his handkerchief’ Tommy said. Arin raised an eyebrow before unlatching the door, and heading out into the dark of the street. 

**

She was at home the next day, sitting at the table working on a pattern for a dress for Caitlyn. Mrs. Next-Door had just got a new Singer sewing machine, and was allowing Maggie to use it, so it made making dresses an awful lot easier. There was a knock at the front door, and she looked around to see whether Uncle Freddie was about. If he was in the house, he preferred to open the door. He must be outside though, so Arin got up and went to answer it. 

Ada, Tommy’s younger sister, was stood on the doorstep; her face looked round and rosy; different to the pinched looks of most of the women round here. They’d only seen each other in passing a few times, so for Ada to show up here was fairly unusual.

‘Oh hello’ said Arin in surprise. 

‘Hello,’ said Ada, ‘Can I talk to you?’ 

‘Er, yeah okay’ said Arin, stepping back to let her in, ‘How did you know where I lived?’ 

‘Finn told me’ said Ada with a shrug. Arin noticed that she was well dressed; as her brothers always were. 

‘Would you like a cup of tea?’ asked Arin. 

‘No thank you’ said Ada politely, looking around, before her eyes fell on the material on the table, ‘What are you making?’ 

‘A dress for my cousin’ said Arin, ‘She’s outgrown her last one by about three inches!’ 

‘I remember when I used to do that,’ said Ada, ‘My mam used to despair about the amount of material we went through to keep up with me’

‘Yeah,’ said Arin, distractedly, with the distinct impression that Ada didn’t come here to make small talk. There was a brief pause as the two women considered each other.

‘I was just heading to the cinema; would you like to come?’ asked Ada, suddenly.

‘The cinema?’ Arin asked, ‘I’ve never been to the cinema before’ 

‘Really?’ asked Ada, her eyes widening in surprise. 

‘No,’ she said, ‘Never really had time when I lived in Dublin’ 

‘Oh, it’s amazing’ said Ada, ‘And so funny. We’ll go see a Charlie Chaplin film’ 

‘That sounds nice,’ said Arin, ‘I’m not really doing much here, this dress can be finished tomorrow. I was just spending my time before I went to my shift at The Garrison’

‘How long have you got?’ asked Ada, ‘Don’t want you to be late’ 

‘Oh I don’t start until six this evening’ Arin said. 

‘Oh excellent, we’ve got a while then’ said Ada, ‘Come on’ 

Arin nodded and picked up a scarf from the rack. She stepped out the front door with Ada, and immediately felt a little self-conscious beside her. It was easy to see who was the poorer of the two. She was being paid well at The Garrison, but it wasn’t the same as living in house where money flowed as it did at the Shelby residence. Ada was wearing a coat lined with fox fur by the look of it, but she'd left the buttons undone, whereas Arin’s coat had been patched in a few places to cover some rips.

‘So you’ve seen me with my man’ said Ada, not picking bones as they walked. 

‘I saw you a few times as I packed up at The Garrison’ said Arin fairly, with a little bit of a shrug. 

‘My brothers don’t know’ said Ada unnecessarily, ‘Although I don’t know how long it’ll stay that way. They always know everything. Like fucking bloodhounds, they are.’ 

Arin smirked, ‘I know you want you mean’ 

‘Aye,’ said Ada, ‘Our Tommy knew all about you before you’d even realised who he was’ 

‘Mmmm’ said Arin in agreement. 

‘He seems to like you,’ said Ada, as they turned up towards the local commercial area. 

‘Hmmm’ said Arin, ‘Does Tommy like anyone?’ 

‘Not usually’ said Ada, ‘That’s why it’s all the more noticeable that he likes you, and that he’s spending time with you. He’s not had a woman since before the war.’ 

‘Well he’s not had me either’ said Arin decidedly. 

‘That’s not what people will think if you stay in his room’ said Ada baldly, ‘It’s just not done’

‘I thought the war had changed those sort of attitudes’ said Arin with a shrug. 

‘Not that much!’ said Ada with a giggle, ‘That’s why I sought you out. We’re in the same situation… almost’

‘True’ said Arin as they climbed the steps to the cinema. They passed the doorman with a smile from Ada. Apparently she didn’t pay here, and by extension, neither did Arin. They bought some popcorn, or rather Ada left a penny for a bag, despite the dispenser not taking it from her. 

They entered the dark room and sat down near the front. There was a handful of other people in there, but it was hardly busy. Arin shuffled into the row first, and then Ada. No one sat near them. The chairs were comfortable and there was no one sitting in front of them.

Arin looked up in wonder at the big screen, one which the film would flicker into life. She’d never seen a screen as big in her life. Suddenly it flickered into life, listing all the actors who were in the picture. 

She sat, absorbed in the picture in front of her. She was so entranced by what she was watching, that Ada had to nudge her to take some of the popcorn. The film had flickered on for about twenty minutes when the door to the cinema slammed open. They both twisted round to see Tommy striding down the aisle with a face like thunder, his coat whirling behind him. 

‘Oh fuck’ Ada whispered with a sigh, turning back around. Arin watched Tommy’s face, but he didn’t change his expression as he threw himself into the seat beside Ada. His eyes were hard, and even though he was looking at the screen he clearly wasn’t watching it. 

‘Tell me the man’s name Ada’ he said, his voice coloured dark with anger. 

Ada paused for a second, and flicked a glance back up the screen, ‘Rudolph Valentino’ 

Tommy sat for a moment, his mouth a thin line, before he stood up and strode out. 

‘Fucking Polly’ said Ada under her breath. 

‘I’m sorry Ada’ said Arin, and then made a little ‘oh’ of surprise as the film flickered off and the lights came on. 

‘Oh for fucks sake’ said Ada, as Tommy strode back in, slamming the doors against the ornate wall as he did so. 

‘Out!’ Tommy shouted at the other people in the cinema, ‘Go on! Out!’ 

There was a shuffle and sounds of movement as everyone left hurriedly, Arin couldn’t leave; she was trapped in by Ada. Tommy didn’t sit down again but leaned over the seats, glowering at Ada. 

‘Give me the man’s name’ said Tommy. Ada glowered forward at the now black screen, before twisting violently towards her brother. 

‘Freddie fucking Thorne!’ she yelled in his face. Tommy’s complexion paled and his eyes narrowed. 

‘Yeah!’ continued Ada, ‘That’s right! Your best mate since high school, and the man who saved your life in France!’ 

Tommy said nothing, but stood up with a jerk and began to stride off. 

‘Go on then!’ Ada yelled after him, ‘Go and cut him up and throw him in The Cut!’ 

Tommy had already gone. Arin hoped he wouldn’t want to see her tonight; his black and angry mood was hanging over him like a cloud. Ada was visibly upset as she turned to the back of the picture house. 

‘Oi!’ she shouted, ‘Turn my fucking film back on! I’m a fucking Shelby too y’know!’ 

And with that the cinema went dark again and the film flickered back on, the music reel tinkling back to life, as the projectionist hastened to do her bidding. 

‘He’s such a bastard’ said Ada under her breath. 

Arin didn’t speak. She thought Tommy’s anger was unjustified, but that his shocked reaction was fairly normal. She’d guessed Ada was pregnant when she’d seen her standing on the doorstep earlier. Ada hadn’t explicitly mentioned it to her, but her coat was unbuttoned, and her skin had a glow to it that wasn’t simply the product of a good complexion. And now it was clear that Tommy knew too.

‘I know he’s taken a shine to you,’ said Ada, ‘But fucking hell’ 

Still Arin didn’t speak, but just reached over and took Ada’s hand, stroking her thumb across the back of it. 

‘Well now he knows’ said Arin, ‘Surely that’s the worst of it?’ 

Ada scoffed, and Arin could see she was fighting back tears, ‘I doubt it. They always know how to fuck up my life.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With thanks to AE, AndiInWonderland, and LadyRedStar for their lovely comments. Please keep them coming with the feedback, it means an awful lot to me when you do. 
> 
> I wasn't going to post this chapter until Thursday, but I was feeling benevolent... so here you go. :)


	8. Chapter 8

8.

‘Arin! Over here!’ 

Arin looked back over her shoulder as she walked back from the market on Thursday morning. She’d been to pick up eggs, amongst other things, for Aunt Maggie. She saw Finn and a darker-skinned boy she didn’t recognise running towards her across the grit road. As they got closer she noticed the new boy had a bible sticking out of his jacket pocket. 

‘Hello Finn, what’s up?’ she asked, stopping in the middle of the street. 

‘Tommy wants to see you down by the stable’ said Finn breathless, ‘Isiah ‘ere will take you. He’s Jeremiah’s boy’ 

Arin had a flash of recognition as she heard the preacher’s name. She’d occasionally seen this boy in his wake on his morning’s spent preaching. The boy usually looked bored and restless when his dad took him out. 

‘I’ve got to go home first’ she said, gesturing to the basket, ‘Maggie’s expecting her eggs’ 

‘I’ll run them over for you’ said Finn with a shrug, dancing from foot to foot, clearly agitated by her lack of cooperation.

Arin made a face, she was vaguely annoyed that when Tommy snapped his fingers everyone was expected to drop everything, including her, and including his brother. At the same time, she cared for Tommy, and knew that he was allowing her into a place where he had allowed very few people, if any. With a sigh Arin handed Finn the basket and allowed him to run off with it. 

‘Be careful with those!’ she yelled after Finn as he dodged around a cart, ‘There’s eggs in there!’

‘Come on then, Miss’ said Isiah, gripping her sleeve, and dragging in the other direction, towards the canal and the stables. 

‘Did Tommy say what he wanted?’ she asked as they hurried along, ‘Is something wrong?’ 

‘Dunno miss’ said Isiah with a nonchalant shrug, ‘He didn’t seem worried though’ 

Arin guessed that that was better than another alternative. She’d seen Tommy only yesterday and he hadn’t mentioned anything about seeing her today. Then again, Tommy didn’t generally appraise her to his full diary arrangements. The night before last she’d laid beside him in his room again, helping keep his nightmares at bay. She hadn’t stayed with him last night because he’d been working until extremely late apparently, and hadn’t been back in the street until the early hours of the morning. As she hurried along she mused over the situation; it was an odd sensation, actually sleeping next to a man. She’d never actually slept with her boy back in Dublin. Yes, they’d had sex, but after that was done – wherever they had been able to find a snatch of privacy – they’d parted ways. To have someone sleep in her room when unmarried would have been utterly out of the question. Yet here, because it was Tommy, it didn’t seem to matter. Or at least people didn’t dare comment on it. 

It didn’t take too long to get down to the stables, and there were people tooing and froing across the yard. Arin watched Scudboat, who had his head in the bonnet of a car, grease up to his elbows as he tried to fix something. 

‘You wait ‘ere Miss’ said Isiah, leaving her by a stable gate post, ‘I’ll go find him’ 

‘No need!’ Tommy’s clear voice rang out behind them, ‘I’m ‘ere Isiah. On wi’ you now.’

‘My dad sends his regards’ said Isiah, tapping his cap to Tommy and to Arin, before scampering away, assumedly to find Finn again. Arin turned to Tommy as soon as Isiah had disappeared. She wondered vaguely if he had anymore grand revelations to make to her; last time she’d been down here with him, he’d told her about his contraband. She knew that it had been moved, but to where she didn’t know. She preferred it that way. That was seriously dangerous, and the less she knew about it, the better.  
‘What do you want me for?’ she asked Tommy lightly, her eyes running over his relaxed form.

‘Can’t I just ask to see you?’ he asked. He didn’t smile at her; Tommy couldn’t be seen to smile in public, but the fact that he was stood so close, and that he seemed relaxed told her it wasn’t anything too serious. 

‘You don’t just ask to see anyone for no reason Tommy’ she said. 

‘Not even you?’ he asked, his eyes twinkling slightly. 

‘Not even me’ she said, with half a smirk. 

‘As it turns out,’ said Tommy, lighting a cigarette, ‘You’re right. I’ve got something for you’ 

‘For me?’ she asked, surprised. Nobody had given her anything in years, and she certainly hadn’t expected anything from Tommy. 

‘It’s not much of a gift,’ he said, ‘It’s something for the weekend’ 

‘Oh aye?’ she asked warily. They were going to Cheltenham at the weekend, and she knew that Tommy and his brothers had been preparing for it ever since their run in with Kimber. She wondered what it was that Tommy could want her to have; he’d already made sure that the colour of her dress was right. What else would she need?

‘Come on’ he said, and took her by the arm. The gesture didn’t go unnoticed by Tugboat Charlie, who raised his eyebrows at her as she walked past, with her hand in the crook of Tommy’s arm. She didn’t quite know how to react, but just gave a half shrug. Clearly the rest of the Shelby family hadn’t yet let slip that she’d been spending nights in Tommy’s bed. It wouldn’t take long though. 

They entered a warehouse by the side of the stable, opposite from where the stallion Tommy had got from the Lees was stabled. The space was mostly empty, apart from the odd box or storage container here and there. The floor was covered in a light scattering of straw. The only thing that was featured in here was a table, standing about thirty feet away, with some boxes and lids stacked on top of it. Tommy shut the door behind her, and clicked the padlock on the latch into place. It was fairly dim in here, the only light coming from some windows high up in the walls. She supposed the lack of windows lower down was to try and keep as many rats and mouse out as possible. She didn’t know what Tommy and his brothers normally stored in here, but she suspected it wasn’t anything that would benefit from having rats scurrying all over it. 

‘Tommy,’ said Arin, ‘What’s going on?’ 

‘Have you ever shot a gun before Arin?’ he asked bluntly.

She looked at him, wide-eyed, before she shook her head, ‘No. My brothers used to have them, and my ma used to shoot the occasional rat. I asked my da for one but he wouldn’t cave. He told me my switch blade would do’   
‘Hmmm’ said Tommy, ‘That would be alright; if you still had it’

‘It was taken off me by a copper in Dublin’ said Arin with half a shrug, ‘Not picked up another one since’ 

‘Alright’ said Tommy, ‘Well, I’ve got something for you here’ 

He put his hand into his pocket and drew out a small, black revolver. 

‘This is a Smith & Wesson, .38 revolver,’ said Tommy, ‘I want you to have it’

Arin didn’t immediately take it from him, instead she just stared at it in his hand. Her dad had denied her a firearm all her life, and yet here was Tommy, just giving her one. 

‘Why?’ she asked, taking it off him. It lay heavy in her hand. She turned it over a few times, feeling the cool metal underneath her fingers. 

‘Because I can’t see what happened before, happen again’ said Tommy quietly. 

Arin looked up at him and nodded, ‘Thank you’ 

Tommy took it off her again and clicked it open, revealing the bottom face of the cylinder. This showed Arin that it was empty. 

‘We’ll fire a few here today’ said Tommy, ‘Just to get your eye in. Then I’ll reload it and you can have it for the weekend’ 

Arin nodded, watching carefully as he slid the rounds into the barrel and clicked it shut. He prepped the gun by checking it and then handed it back to her. She felt vaguely nervous; holding a loaded weapon in her hands. She’d slashed a man before with her blade, but with this, she could kill someone at a distance. With a knife, you had to look someone in the eyes before you hurt them. This was so… _impersonal_.

‘Alright,’ said Tommy, ‘Let’s see what you can do’ 

Arin nodded, and gulped, raising the revolver. It was heavy, and she braced her one arm with the other, looking down the barrel of the gun towards the table of cardboard boxes. She pulled the hammer down, hearing it click, before she fired. And missed completely. 

She huffed and felt her cheeks going rosy with embarrassment. She turned back towards Tommy, looking to see his reaction. He was leaning against one of the containers and luckily, he wasn’t laughing… too much. 

‘It’s alright’ said Tommy, ‘Click the safety on’ 

She did so and looked at him expectantly.

‘Come on then’ said Tommy, ‘I’ll show you how to do it properly’ 

Arin nodded as Tommy stepped up towards her. 

‘Right,’ he said, ‘Turn back around towards the target’

She did so, her back to him. She felt Tommy step up behind her, her back almost to his chest. He placed a warm hand on her waist before drawing it up to her arm and raising the gun in her hand. His left hand stayed on her waist as the right guided her hand. 

‘Right, widen your stance a bit’ said Tommy, his voice quiet as his mouth was very close to her ear, ‘You want to be balanced’ 

Arin shifted slightly, doing as he said. He guided her fingers to the hammer, pulling it down so that the weapon clicked into firing mode. She was acutely aware of his body right behind hers, her legs slightly spread, and his hips close to her own.

‘Now relax’ he said, ‘And let the weapon become part of your hand. Breathe… and when you’re ready, fire’ 

She took a deep breath, steadied herself looking at the target, and fired. It didn’t hit the centre of box, but at least it hit the box, taking away a corner with the blast. 

‘Much better’ Tommy said, looking over her shoulder, ‘Now, one more, and we’ll call that a day’s work’ 

Arin raised the weapon again, followed the steps Tommy had described – quicker this time – and fired. Again she hit the box, a tiny bit closer to the centre than the time before. 

‘That’ll do’ said Tommy, ‘Put the safety on and give it here’ 

She did so, handing it to him. She watched as he carefully reloaded the weapon, clicked it closed, and handed it back it to her. 

‘It’s not the same though’ said Tommy thoughtfully after a second, looking at her holding it. 

‘What isn’t?’ she asked, moments away from putting it in her bag. 

‘Firing at a cardboard box to actually pointing it at a man’ said Tommy. 

‘Oh aye?’ she asked

‘Yes’ he said watching her carefully, ‘Standing in front of a man and knowing that you could end his life in the next few seconds, and that you have all the power in your hands’ 

She moved towards him, her eyes never leaving his. She clicked the hammer on the gun, and placed it under his chin, the cold barrel leaving an indented impression in his skin as she pressed it hard into the bone. His breathing was still steady, and his betrayed no hint of fear. He wasn’t afraid. It was almost as if a crazy side of him was daring her. She could feel the power surge through her fingers, and her heart hammering, yet her hands were completely still and time seemed to slow down. 

‘To hold it like this, you mean?’ she breathed, her face close to his, ‘With all the power?’ 

Time slowed down as she considered her moment of power. Her breath steady as she held the weapon under his chin. She wondered who was the last person to dare hold a cocked gun to Tommy Shelby’s beautiful face. A moment later his hand came up, very slowly and closed over hers and he drew the weapon away from his chin. Time sped up again as she let him take it from her, he clicked the hammer off and the safety on before placing it in the holster under his waistcoat. He looked back into her eyes, his blue gaze burning fiercely into her green one.

‘Exactly like that’ whispered Tommy, and leaned in to kiss her, the power surging between them as he gripped the top of her arms. Her heart rate was still pounding as he pulled her close, his mouth dominating hers, demanding her response and her passion. She gave it, feeling a certain level of trust between them. There were many, many layers to Thomas Shelby, and she had by no means uncovered them all yet, but in allowing her to do what she’d just done, he’d shown her a little bit more of himself, given a tiny bit more. It was another fragment to add to the puzzle.

The world around them ceased to exist as he kissed her, and the noise of the canal yard faded in her ears. It was just the two of them, in this warehouse, with a locked door. His hands pulled her tight against him, his hips grinding into hers, and she felt his obvious arousal through his trousers and her dress. She moved her hand from its place on his chest, and brushed it down over the front of his trousers, causing him to pant out in anticipation of the potential. She smiled slightly into the kiss before repeating the motion, yet this time she let her hand rest on the bulge there. He broke the kiss for a moment, briefly glancing down between them, half a pant, half a moan on his lips. 

Tommy manoeuvred her backwards towards one of the crates which was in the room, but before he could do anything else she whirled them around so he had his back to the rough wooden surface. She held back a moan as he ground his hips into hers again, showing her just how deep his need was. 

She broke the kiss for a moment, and gently kissed him on the neck before she travelled lower and lower, stopping every so often to look up at him, and then she was on her knees in front of him, causing him to groan instantly in anticipation. She wondered when the last time was that Tommy had allowed a woman to take the lead in sex, rather than him being the dominant force. She ran her hands down his thighs and back up again before reaching the three buttons on his trousers. She deftly undid and opened them. She leaned forward and ghosted her mouth over the material covering his now-straining cock. 

He hissed through his teeth at the sight of her head and mouth so close to his dick. She didn’t wait a moment longer before freeing him from his underwear and taking just the head in her mouth. He hissed a breath in through his teeth instantly, which swiftly turned into a moan as she sucked lightly. He groaned as she flattened her tongue and used it hard against the underside of the head. She did that a few times before beginning to inch her way down his cock. She could feel that he was holding his breath as her nose got closer and closer to the thatch of dark curls surrounding the base. Her hands moved to the back of his thighs to steady herself as she took him as deep as she could go, before she began to bob her head up and down, using her tongue deftly around the shaft. She moaned around him, causing him to moan softly at the vibrations this caused. He wrapped a hand in her hair, tugging gently. She continued to hum, finding that he gasped louder when she did that. 

‘Oh fuck, Arin’ he whispered throatily as she continued her movements. She pulled back slightly before taking him all in again, the head hitting the back of her throat. She continued to suck and to moan, and he started to move his hips very slightly, as if testing out whether she would let him. She looked up at him, her mouth still firmly around his cock, her eyes meeting his. Her eyes gave him the permission he needed, and he started to move a little more. She stopped moving as he pushed and he slowly fucked her mouth, the only thing she did was to hum occasionally, to cause delicious vibrations to run through his body. 

‘Fuck’ he whispered, that being the only articulation he could make. He gasped in the back of his throat, and his head hung back slightly as he groaned. 

‘Fuck, fuck, fuck’ he said, his hips still moving slowly, ‘Arin’

His hands tried to push her away momentarily, ‘Arin, I’m going to cum’

She ignored his attempts to push her away, and she moved back so that she was just sucking on the head, using her tongue more deftly. 

‘Oh _god_ , fuck, fuck’ said Tommy, his hands twisting in her hair, as he tensed, his body going rigid, and he came in her mouth with a guttural moan of satisfaction. She swallowed it, wiped her bottom lip, before standing back up. 

‘Oh fuck’ said Tommy his eyes glittering, ‘You swallowed’ 

‘Well what else was I supposed to do?’ she asked mischievously, her eyes fixed on his gaze.

He didn’t respond, but spun them around so she was now stood with her back to the container. It was too high for her to be able to sit on, the side of it being level with her ribs. So, Tommy grabbed her, pulled her close, kissed her, tasting himself in the process. Somewhere in the kiss he wrapped his arms around her hips and lifted her up, so she was sitting on the container. 

She couldn’t kiss him from this height, but that wasn’t what he had in mind as pushed her dress up over her thighs and pulled her underwear down. He didn’t bother undressing her any further before his mouth was on her, causing her to moan instantly and lean back on one hand. 

‘Oh god Tommy’ she whispered, her other hand immediately going to grip the longer hair on the top of her head. He hummed in appreciation, nipping at the inside of her thighs before his tongue was back on her clit. 

‘Ah fuck, intense’ she squeaked as he continued his efforts there. She half wanted to push him away because the sensations were so overwhelming, but the other half wanted to pull him closer, to contain the feeling. He chuckled against her skin, and almost sensing her desire to pull back from him he gripped under her thighs and pulled her legs onto his shoulders. Now she couldn’t move very far and she was utterly at his mercy and his ministrations. 

‘Ah ah ah, I’m close’ she whined, her legs shaking, ‘Fingers…’

Tommy knew what she wanted from that garbled articulation alone and instantly thrust two fingers inside of her, curling them into her heat. At the feeling of his mouth of her clit, and his fingers inside of her she came hard, biting on the back of her hand to try and contain the noise as she tensed hard, her stomach clenching against the amazing feeling that spread down all of her limbs like a fantastic explosion. 

He gently backed away, giving her a moment to regain her breath and for her heart rate to stop hammering against her ribs. Once she’d recovered slightly she repositioned her dress and slid down off the container. His arms encircled around her and they stood for a moment, just holding. She pecked him softly on the lips, and she felt him smile slightly. He took her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. 

‘You’re staying with me tonight’ he said. 

‘But my dress for tomorrow is a home’ said Arin. 

Tommy considered for a moment, ‘You can change in the morning?’ 

Arin nodded, taking his face in her hands and kissed him again. 

‘They’ll think I’m such a whore’ said Arin, half-joking. 

‘No one would dare say it’ he said, his eyes glittering dangerously. 

She knew he was right. Nobody would say anything against her now, not round here anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With thanks to LadyRedStar and Tate for their lovely comments. They really make my day and inspire me to keep working! xxx


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little on the shorter side. It was originally one with the next chapter, but together they just became too cumbersome and long, so I split them in two. I hope you like it!

Arin woke to the early morning light breaking through the curtains. It looked like it was going to be a clear day, which was always a good thing at this time of year. Spring could be decidedly changeable, but today promised to be alright. She could feel Tommy’s hand lying on her waist, and his breath still slow with the rhythm of sleep on the back of her neck. She was pressed against his chest and his body was warm against her back. 

She turned towards him, their faces less than a few inches apart. His face was relaxed and untroubled, his normally hard mouth open slightly and soft. Arin knew her movement would wake him, and sure enough his eyes opened, the blue coming into focus as he shifted out of sleep. 

‘Morning’ she said quietly, her hands underneath her head. 

Tommy didn’t reply, but a small smile half curled at his lips. He leaned in a kissed her gently before she moved to sit up and she stretched lightly as she did so, feeling the small knots in her shoulders come undone. She stood up, looking around for her dress, before pulling it on over her head. Once again, she’d slept last night in her shift.

‘If you want to head on home,’ said Tommy behind her, leaning up on his elbow, ‘I’ll pick you up in an hour’ 

Arin turned to him, ‘Alright, is it just going to be us two?’ 

Tommy flashed her a smirk, ‘Something like that’ 

Arin raised her eyebrow slightly, but decided not to question it any further, Tommy obviously had some kind of plan, but as with most things, the closer he kept it to his chest the better. 

‘I will see you in about an hour then’ she said. Tommy nodded and sat up himself, stretching so his muscles rippled lightly under his pale skin. She watched him for a moment before he noticed her still standing there and he grinned slightly, causing her to blush. She shook her head with a grin and turned, exiting the room onto the landing. A few of the bedroom doors were still shut, but some stood open revealing the empty rooms behind. She made her way down the stairs and into the main living area with the table. John and Arthur were both sat there, already dressed, caps on. They were both drinking tea, and eating bread and jam. 

‘Morning Arin’ said Arthur as he spotted her. He was relaxed, but Arin noticed that his revolver was on the table beside his mug.

‘Morning Arthur’ she said in response, reaching for her boots by the front door. 

‘Isn’t that the same dress you were wearing yesterday, Arin?’ teased John as she tied her laces. 

‘I often wear the same dress John’ said Arin lightly, ‘You’ve seen this one before’ 

‘Yeah, but not when it’s got a funny mark on it, did Tommy miss?!’ said John, snorting with laughter. 

Arin straightened up, narrowed her eyes, and swore at him, causing him to giggle delightedly. 

‘Enjoy your day’ she said, before exiting the house, leaving John and Arthur’s crude jokes behind her. She knew Tommy would be in for it when he showed his face at the table.

The street was already busy, with people coming and going on their way to work, or coming home from the night shifts in the factories. The BSA factory in particular was famed for its godawful night shifts, although Arin wasn’t sure if they were out on strike at the moment or not. They probably were, she’d seen Freddie Thorne – Ada’s flame – on a street corner talking to a group of men the other day. He looked as if he was trying to convince them of their legitimate right to strike. 

A man walked past her in the other direction and touched the brim of his cap to her. The reason she noticed was that this was the first time it had happened around here. It was a little odd. She didn’t know the man, why was he touching his cap? Did he recognise her? Was it because she’d been seen with Tommy? Were people starting to notice? 

It took a few minutes to walk across to her house and she opened the door and went in, knowing Uncle Freddie would already be awake. 

‘Where have you been all night?’ asked her Aunt Maggie, who was sitting at the table, knitting. Arin hesitated by the stairs, wondering why she was asking. 

‘At the Shelby house’ she said carefully. 

Maggie stopped knitting, and shared a knowing glance with Uncle Freddie who was standing by the brazier in the corner. Arin realised that they had been talking about what was going on, and that she was about to receive a well-meaning lecture.

‘Arin, people will start to talk’ said Aunt Maggie gently. 

‘They wouldn’t say anything out right’ said Freddie pointedly. 

‘I know,’ said Aunt Maggie, before she sighed, ‘I’m only saying this because I care about you’

‘I know’ said Arin reasonably, ‘I know’ 

‘Is he going to marry you?’ asked Freddie, his voice forceful. 

Arin started, ‘I don’t know Uncle. We’ve only really been seen together for the past week!’ 

‘Still’ said Freddie, ‘Your reputation will soon be in the dust if he leaves you’ 

Arin stayed silent, she didn’t really know what to say. She hoped that Tommy wouldn’t just leave her in the dust, but she didn’t know all that much about the man, only that he was dangerous, and he drew her in like a magnet. 

‘I just want to know that his intentions are honourable’ said Freddie, ‘I can’t stop you staying with him, and he won’t stop asking. Just be aware Arin.’

She nodded. 

Maggie picked up her knitting again, ‘Go on. Where are you going today?’ 

Arin hesitated, given their previous conversation, ‘Tommy’s taking me to the races’ 

‘So you are walking out’ said Freddie, matter-of-factly, ‘People will see you, and they will talk’ 

‘Tommy will protect me’ said Arin. 

‘Oh I know he can protect you’ said Freddie, ‘He can protect you, for as long as he _wants to_ ’ 

Arin didn’t miss the emphasis on the last words, and she dithered for a moment at the bottom of the stairs. 

‘Go on’ said Maggie, ‘Go get dressed’ 

Arin didn’t need telling twice and she hurried up the stairs to the room she shared with Caitlyn and May. Caitlyn was out at school, and May was playing with a doll that Maggie had stitched for her. 

‘Hello Arin,’ said May looking up at her as she entered the room, before asking, ‘Why don’t you sleep with us anymore?’ 

‘I stay with a friend’ said Arin cautiously, ‘Only sometimes though, I was here the other night’. 

May didn’t say anything else, just went back to playing with her doll, ‘I liked sharing with you’ 

‘I do too’ said Arin, walking over to her wardrobe and opening the door, ‘Can you help me May?’ 

‘Sure!’ said May jumping to her feet, ‘What do you need?’ 

‘Can you fetch me some warm water, and Maggie’s looking glass?’ said Arin, picking out the dress she’d made in the past week. Alongside that in the wardrobe was her grey dress, another simple smock of blue, and the green dress she had arrived in. She was extremely attached to that dress; it was her little slice of home. She never wore it out or to work, but she insisted that it was kept looking pristine in the wardrobe. 

‘That’s a lovely dress’ said May, stopping by the door and looking back at the dress Arin was holding. 

‘Thank you’ said Arin, hanging it on the door of the wardrobe, as May darted off out the door. She stepped back to admire it momentarily before May came back. The hemline was even more daring on this one that it was on the grey dress she’d made a few weeks back. It was a handkerchief cut, and where the hemline was highest it came up to sitting just on her knee. She hadn’t shown Aunt Maggie, knowing that she would disapprove. 

It was a deep green colour, to match her eyes. Tommy had said something about making sure it matched his handkerchief, but how did she know what shade of green that would be? So she went for the shade most flattering to herself. 

May came back, holding a small bowl of steaming water, in which a sponge was floating, and under her arm was Aunt Maggie’s looking glass. Arin hastily took the bowl from her little cousin, because it looked heavy and as if she might spill it everywhere. 

‘I’m going to wash now May’ said Arin pointedly, suggesting that her cousin could leave, ‘Thank you for the water’ 

May took it as a dismissal but seemed unperturbed, ‘Let me see when you’re finished!’ 

Arin smiled, ‘Okay’ 

She shut the door after May and went to work, stripping out of yesterday’s dress and down to her skin. As she slid her undergarments down her legs, she couldn’t help but remember Tommy doing the same thing, only a few hours previously, in the warehouse on the wharf. She felt a flush of desire run through her, but she suppressed it. Tommy wasn’t here, and she had other tasks at hand. 

She washed all over and brushed out her hair. She knew that it was unfashionably long for the time, and was thinking about getting cut. Ada wore her hair short, as did most of the women these days. Arin’s hair that fell to the middle of her back was considered almost juvenile. She wondered what Tommy thought about it. Not that it was up to him whether she got her hair cut or not, but she was interested to know whether he favoured the latest fashions. Once she had finished washing, she cleaned her teeth with the bristly brush that Maggie had provided for her, before turning to the shelf in the dresser where she stored all her worldly possessions. 

She took out some cream stockings, garters, a bodice and underwear. She made sure that the seam of the stockings was in line as she rolled them up her calf, and attached them to the garter she had just put on. Once everything was in place she turned to the dress and slid it on over her head. It was drop-waisted, as all the fashions were, and it suited her slim figure nicely. The final piece to the ensemble was a pair of cream shoes with a three-inch heel. She didn’t normally wear heels this high, but she guessed that this was a special occasion, and had begged Maggie the use of the shoes she had worn for her wedding. She’d added the small strap across the top with some scrap leather that Freddie had lying about for re-handling posh knives. That made them look more modern, and also added a little bit more support. They were the first pair of heels that Arin had worn in years. She looked at herself in the looking-glass, smoothing her hair down a little, it’s wavy-to-lightly-curled nature being its usual unruly self. She didn’t have any powder or perfume to speak of, having fled Dublin in little but the clothes she stood up in. She wondered if Maggie had any. 

She opened the door to find May standing virtually right outside, so much so she nearly tripped over her. 

‘Sorry!’ said May, stepping out of the way before taking in her appearance, ‘You look so pretty coz’ 

Arin smiled, ‘Thank you. I was hoping, and wondering if you’d know, if Maggie has any perfume or powder?’ 

May frowned a little as she tried to remember, ‘Um, I think she might have some jasmine water or something. She never wears it though’ 

‘Can you bring it for me?’ asked Arin, ‘I won’t tell her. And I’ll sneak you some ha’penny sweets from the races’ 

May’s face lit up bright as a bulb and she darted off towards the room her parents shared. This house was only two up, two down. Freddie and Maggie shared one bedroom; May and Caitlyn the other. Hugo slept on a cot in front of the fire downstairs. He was always the first to rise, so he forfeited a space in an upstairs room. 

Within a few moments May was back, holding a perfume bottle, with a small spray pump. 

‘She keeps in a drawer, so it should be al’ri’ said May, handing it to Arin. 

Arin tentatively sniffed at it, and found that whilst the scent was a little bit depleted, it was still sweet and pleasant. She quickly sprayed a little on the inside of her wrists, dabbed a little on the crook of her neck. She sprayed a little more on the backs of her knees. 

‘Why are you putting perfume on your knees?’ asked May her face a picture of curiosity. 

‘It’s good to smell nice all over’ said Arin, handing the bottle back. 

‘Yeah but surely no one is going to go near your knees’ pressed May. 

‘It’s what ladies do’ said Arin firmly, not wanting to get in to depths as why she might want the inside of her legs to smell nice. 

May didn’t look convinced but she let it go, much to Arin’s relief, ‘Okay’ 

Arin turned back to the bedroom and picked her hat that Millie, one of Ada’s friends, had made for her once she knew she was going to the races. It was in the same green as the dress, and had lace in place over the brim, adding a pretty statement. It sat jauntily on her head, offsetting the dark auburn colour of her hair. Even if she did say so herself, she did look quite a picture.

**

She was standing outside Freddie’s about ten minutes later, waiting for Tommy. She didn’t have to wait long, as the black motorcar came trundling down the road, it’s engine puttering softly, a moment or two after she had stepped into the street.   
Tommy stopped directly beside her and leaned over to open the passenger door. She climbed in, being careful to make sure her dress didn’t catch in the door. 

‘Is it just us in the car?’ she asked, ‘Are John and Arthur not coming?’ 

‘It’s just us in the car,’ said Tommy cryptically, ‘You look very nice’ 

‘Thank you’ she said, as he drove away from the curb. 

She looked him up and down; he was wearing a lovely suit of the darkest grey. A white shirt was buttoned underneath, with a gold button holding the tight collar in place. There was a waistcoat in place on top of that, with his customary pocket watch attached by a chain. Tommy was always well dressed, but today he was especially well turned out. The only thing that hadn’t changed at all was his cap on his head, razor blades glinting just by the peak. 

‘You don’t look so bad yourself’ she commented in turn. 

Tommy chuckled, ‘Well you sure know how to spin a compliment’

Arin didn’t speak, but just smiled to herself. 

‘How far is it to Cheltenham?’ she asked, watching the terraced houses of the local area go past. 

‘About sixty miles, give or take’ said Tommy. 

Arin looked out of the side, watching women heading to the shops, their as-yet empty baskets hanging over their arms. They turned onto a larger thoroughfare and headed towards where the air was cleaner, leaving the mills and the stacks behind them. As they left Birmingham and reached open countryside, Tommy moved his hand momentarily from the steering wheel, he placed it on her knee and moved his thumb backward and forward across the material of her dress and the skin underneath. He didn’t look across at her, but the warmth of his hand stayed on her skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With thanks to AndiInWonderland, LadyRedStar, and Awktavia for their lovely comments. They were so nice and really do inspire me to keep on writing. 
> 
> In other news, work has really stepped up for me recently, so I won't have as much time to write as I used to. I will try and update as often as possible (I already have the ending of this story drafted), but just a warning in case updates slow down somewhat...   
> xxx


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With huge thanks to Sammy, Alex, Awktavia, LadyRedStar, and Izzy03331 for their amazing comments! These really keep me going and make my day. :) I reckon this story is going to be between 18-20 chapters, depending on how it pans out, and I've already got a sequel planned. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy... next chapter will be out next week sometime. 
> 
> V  
> xxx

Ch. 10

Arin had never been anywhere like this before, even when the fairs had come to Dublin. She looked around distractedly as they walked through the crowds of posh ladies and gentlemen with Tommy by her side. Neither of them looked out of place; in fact, both and she and Tommy blended in very nicely with the outfits of the other race goers. She knew how ladies walked, talked and moved. She tried her best to emulate what she knew and what she saw. She heard snippets of banal conversation from some of the groups of women as they walked passed. They were discussing things like where they had bought their shoes, or who’s society wedding was coming up next month. They looked very similar to Arin, but she was hiding something that she was sure only she was carrying. The gun Tommy had given her was tucked in the bottom of her handbag, hidden underneath a large handkerchief. 

There was a brass band playing on the band stand, some jolly little ditty that she didn’t know well but vaguely recognised the tune. She reckoned she must have heard it back in Dublin, or perhaps when she was a child. 

‘Right’ said Tommy, drawing her around, ‘Now, we need to get into there’

‘The owners circle?’ asked Arin, looking at where he was pointing. That was where all the richest of the rich who came to the races would be. The ones who owned the horses, rather than betting on them. 

‘Aye’ said Tommy, ‘That’s where Kimber will be. And that’s who we came here to see’ 

Arin made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat after he said this, ‘Can’t say I thought much of him the last time I met ‘im’ 

‘Yeah, well’ said Tommy, ‘That’s not the point. He’s the one who holds the purse strings around here’ 

Arin resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him, knowing it was entirely unladylike, ‘Right, well how do you suggest we get in?’ 

‘Well I was hoping that’s where you would help out’ said Tommy, ‘You’ve got that posh girl look. I want you to use that to get us in there.’ 

‘They’re going to see through me’ hissed Arin as they headed towards the door that was guarded by three men. 

‘No, they won’t’ said Tommy, whispering in her ear, ‘Speak properly, like I know they taught you to do. You’re now Lady Arin of Cork, and if anyone asks I’m Slavic and don’t speak a word of English’ 

‘Slavic?’ asked Arin with a chuckle, ‘That’s imaginative, where from?’ 

Tommy smirked and didn’t reply, heading closer and closer to the door. Arin smiled her prettiest smile at the men on the door. She tried to cast her mind back to that one year before the war when her father had sent her to an elocution mistress down the road to try and learn to speak properly. He said that it would help her get into a good job, with good prospects. If only he could see where she had ended up. 

‘Hello’ she said, ‘I just came outside to the take air, but I’ve left my bag with my belongings inside’ 

The man looked at her and then at Tommy, ‘And who’s this?’ 

‘This is my horse trainer’s new stable hand, but he’s also doubling as my body guard’ said Arin. 

‘Doesn’t look big enough to be a body guard’ sniffed the guy, looking at Tommy, squaring him up. 

‘Oh,’ said Arin, doing her best to look affronted, ‘Not that it’s any of your business, but he’s far more dangerous than his size betrays’ 

The man looked at Tommy again, trying to decide whether this was true or not. 

‘Are we finished here, gentlemen? I’m going to catch a chill’ said Arin. 

‘Yes,’ said the man on the door, ‘Sorry miss’

He lifted the velvet rope to let her pass. 

‘Thank you, gentlemen,’ she said as she went inside. Tommy followed at her elbow, looking around furtively, trying to avoid the glances of the rich folk loitering just inside. Once they were down a set of steps and into the main room, Tommy took her to one side. The room was opulent, with scented flowers all over the place. There was soft jazz music playing in here, and Arin could see a few show dancers standing on the steps. There were a few couples on the floor, moving slowly in time with the music. 

‘Far more dangerous than his size betrays eh?’ he asked with a glint in his eye. Arin just smiled lightly. They walked over to a balcony that overlooked the dance floor. It took her a moment or two to spot Kimber and his party, but she knew Tommy had seen them the minute they’d entered the room. 

‘Do you dance?’ asked Tommy turning to her suddenly. 

‘I do when I’m asked properly’ said Arin with a little bit of a grin. 

Tommy smiled and stepped closer to her, picking up her hand, ‘So you’re telling me, that your mouth can be around my cock, my fingers can be inside you; but I have to ask you nicely if I want to dance?’ 

Arin eyes sparkled and she gasped slightly at the thought, ‘You shouldn’t talk like that right now’ 

‘Why?’ asked Tommy, his eyes glittering dangerously as he stepped towards her. 

‘You know very well why’ she said, putting her hand on his chest to stop him coming any closer, her breathing slightly heavier. 

Tommy obliged and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it very gently. 

‘Lady Arin, would you give me the pleasure of this dance?’ 

She smiled and nodded, ‘The pleasure would be mine’ 

Tommy pulled her close by the hand he was already holding, so that his mouth was right next to her ear, ‘Don’t let’s get talking about pleasure, shall we Arin?’ 

She gasped hotly, ‘Jesus, Tommy’ 

With that he stepped back and led her down the steps to the dance floor. They were now dancing a relatively quick foxtrot of sorts and Arin enjoyed the feeling of moving to the rhythm of the music. There were a lot of other dancers on the floor, and they moved in and out between them, in time to the music. Arin noticed that Tommy was taking great care to dance past the front of Kimber’s table every so often. A few moments later the band stopped, and each pair broke to briefly applaud the musicians, before they struck up another tune. This one was a lot slower, and it allowed Tommy to close the gap between them. He had one hand on Arin’s waist, and the other at her back. Arin half smiled into the crook of Tommy’s neck as they danced past Kimber’s table again. 

‘This is amusing you greatly isn’t it?’ she whispered to him. 

Tommy chuckled a little in her ear, ‘It has its perks, it has to be said. Kimber’s face is a picture’ 

Tommy twirled her around again, and she affected to laugh, ignoring Kimber’s table completely, despite feeling his eyes on her. 

‘He fancies you’ said Tommy.

‘Hmmm’ said Arin, leaning in so her mouth was right next to his ear, ‘He can fuck off’ 

Tommy affected to gasp, ‘Can’t use language like that in here, Lady Arin’

Arin smiled lightly. Tommy took one hand from her waist and used it to draw his pocket watch out into his palm, checking it, before he slid it back into his waistcoat, a small frown on his face. 

‘Catching a train?’ Arin joked, wondering what he was about. 

Tommy didn’t say anything, but began to move her backwards through the crowd, making a path through the other dancers. 

‘Tommy, either your right leg is stronger than your left or your directing me somewhere’ hissed Arin, ‘What is going on?’ 

‘You’ll see’ 

‘Does this have anything to do with razor blades?’ asked Arin suspiciously. Tommy was, of course, wearing his cap, but he’d made doubly sure that it was folded over enough that the blades couldn’t be seen. 

Tommy didn’t answer, but brought her up short near a secluded doorway. About ten seconds after he’d done that, the door opened from the other side and Arthur appeared. He was breathing heavily and was sweaty. 

‘Is it done?’ asked Tommy, as Arthur handed him several heavy bags that sounded as if they were full of cash. 

‘Yep’ said Arthur with a large grin on his face, ‘Chased them all off down the Derby road’ 

‘Excellent’ said Tommy, ‘Thank you Arthur; you and the men go and have a drink’

Arthur grinned and disappeared back through the door, closing it behind him with a snap. 

‘Come on’ said Tommy, picking up the cash bags, ‘You go and stand by the bar’ 

Arin was confused as to what exactly was going on, but decided it was probably safer to just do as Tommy said. She went and stood by the bar, ordered a drink, whilst watching out the corner of her eye as Tommy dumped all of the cash bags on Kimber’s table, making everyone who was sitting there jump. 

There was a brief conversation, in which Kimber looked distinctly unimpressed, before he got to his feet, straightening his waistcoat out as he did so. Arin tried to look relaxed and unaware as he made his way towards her. She was hoping he wasn’t going to want talk to her, but her hopes were unfortunately scuppered as he leaned on the bar beside her.

‘Your man said I could ‘ave this dance’ said Kimber, holding out his hand to her. 

Arin didn’t even bother replying. Kimber clearly saw her as half a person, someone who could be traded from man to man. It didn’t matter about her opinion on whether she wanted to dance with him or not; Tommy had said it was okay, and therefore it was fine. Her eyes slid past Kimber’s shoulder to where Tommy was sitting, but he wasn’t looking at her. Instead he was deep in conversation with Kimber’s advisor. She nodded her ascent to Kimber and gave her hand to him, allowing him to lead her out onto the dancefloor. 

‘That’s a lovely dress’ said Kimber, looking down at her, as they swayed to the beat, ‘Brings out your eyes’ 

‘Thank you’ she said demurely, trying not to draw conversation too much. She was vastly uncomfortable with Kimber’s hands on her body, but she tried to ignore it as he dropped his hand from her waist, so that it was almost resting on her bottom. She desperately wanted to pull away from him, but fought the urge, knowing that it would be over soon. As soon as the music stopped she broke away from him. 

‘I need a drink’ she said lightly, heading back to her position at the bar. Kimber didn’t seem deterred though, and headed back over to his table, a strut to his walk. Arin saw him speaking with Tommy as she drank a little of her drink. After a moment, Tommy walked over, scratching the back of his head as he did so. Arin had learned to recognise this as one of his tells; he did it whenever he was nervous, although his face would never betray it. 

‘What’s happening?’ she asked him softly.

‘You go on with Kimber,’ said Tommy, rubbing his scalp once more, ‘We’re going to finish the deal at his house’

Arin’s eyes widened slightly and she stepped back from him, ‘Alone?’ 

‘Aye’ said Tommy, ‘Look, I’ll be there as soon as I can, I’ve just got some things to finish up here first’ 

Arin looked at him, trying to find a hint of something in his eyes, but his eyes were completely closed off and the soul behind was hidden to her. 

‘Alright,’ she said finally, ‘But please try to be quick’

Tommy assented gruffly, with a noncommittal shrug before moving away, leaving her alone for Kimber to come over to her. 

‘Come on then, lovely, we’re going on ahead’ he said, taking her hand. 

Arin nodded, allowing Kimber to lead her up the stairs she had descended with Tommy and out back towards the main race entrance. 

**

They were in Kimber’s billiards room that doubled as a library. Arin wondered whether Kimber had actually read even half of them as she looked around, the tomes must number into the thousands. She put her bag down on the green felt cover of the billiard table. Kimber turned to the gramophone and let it start to play, it crackled lightly as it began to spin. It was a slow piece of music. 

‘Let’s dance’ said Kimber holding out his hand and pulling her in. Arin wriggled slightly in discomfort. 

‘It’s a little slow’ she said, ‘Couldn’t we do something like a Charleston instead?’

‘But I wanna hold you like this’ said Kimber, his mouth next to her ear. It took all her energy to stop herself baulking in revulsion. She wondered where Tommy had got to and whether he had finished his business yet. Kimber’s hand slid down to her arse and squeezed. With that she broke away, unable to stop herself. 

‘I’d like a drink’ she said, heading back over towards the billiards table. Kimber half scoffed at her attitude, but went over to the drinks tray anyway. 

‘What do you want?’ Kimber asked. Arin had only a moment to appreciate he sounded a little like a spoilt child before there was a smashing sound behind her. She turned around quickly to see Kimber standing over a broken glass on the floor, an expectant look on his face. 

‘Pick it up’ he said, glancing down. 

‘What?’ she hissed at him, not moving from her spot beside the table. She tried to act nonchalant, turning back to the windows until he stopped behaving like a child. She heard his growl of anger and fast steps moving over the floor but before she could react he was behind her. She let out a squeak and immediately started to struggle as he gripped her hips and pushed her forward over the billiard table. Her hips were digging into the table.

_His breath in her ear and his hands on her hips. Not again._

She struggled against him, desperately clawing for her bag that she had put on the billiard table. In it was her gun. This time she wasn’t going to be helpless like she had been at the pub. She was straining to reach it, but it was just at the edge of her fingertips. 

_This time…_

The door banged open and Kimber let her go, whirling around to see who had intruded. 

‘What the fuck are you doing here?!’ yelled Kimber as Tommy entered the room, swiftly followed by Kimber’s manservant who was trying to hold him back, ‘I have another hour!’

Arin stood up and gaped at Tommy, her dress dishevelled and her breathing fast. 

‘I know, I know’ said Tommy, also breathing hard, holding out a hand towards Kimber, ‘I was going to let you go through with this, but then… but then my conscience got the better of me. You see… she has the clap’ 

Kimber jerked away from her, pulling down his waistcoat and looking at her with disgust. 

‘Yeah… syphilis’ said Tommy, looking apologetic, ‘Look, Kimber, I’m sorry. I hope we can just put all of this behind us. Arin, go wait by the car’ 

Arin jerked as if he had run a hot wire through her ear and she moved into action, grabbing her bag from the table and exiting the room in a hurry, her wooden heels clicking on the floor. She flung herself out the open front door and into the driveway. She could see Tommy’s Bugatti parked on the gravel. 

_Wait by the car_ he’d said. 

A white-hot flash of anger shot through her. _Wait by the car_ , what did he think she was, a fucking dog? To be ordered about? To be put to the stud whenever it suited Tommy? She let out a frustrated shout of annoyance as she stormed past the parked car and out the gates of the house. She had no idea where she was going, but it was away from Kimber, away from the house, and away from Tommy. 

She walked on down the lane, and was appalled to feel hot tears welling up in the back of her throat. She swallowed them down roughly; refusing to cry. Her life had never been easy; she’d been dealt blows and setbacks ever since she was old enough to understand her place in the world. But this was different. Kimber wasn’t just a sexually aggressive pig, when Tommy had burst in he’d said _I have another hour._ That meant Tommy had given her to him; like a whore to sweeten whatever deal he’d made. She scoffed again, and ran her hand backwards through her hair, pulling her hatpins out of her hair as she did so, tugging it hard so that it hurt a little. 

She’d only been walking for a short while, and she shoved an overhanging branch out the way, when she heard a car engine behind her. She kept walked resolutely forward as the black car came up to crawl beside her. 

‘Arin, get in the car’ she heard Tommy’s voice call out from behind the wheel. 

She ignored him and kept walking, her fury radiating off her body, like heat from a furnace. 

‘Arin!’ said Tommy, and she heard him stop the engine and get out, slamming the car door behind him. 

‘Look, you’re not going to walk all the way back to Birmingham’ he said, striding to catch up with her. 

‘Then I’ll find a horse’ she spat out, still not turning around to look at him. 

‘In those shoes?’ he asked, his voice light. 

With that she whirled around to face him, ‘This isn’t funny Thomas!’ 

He stopped up short in front of her, his eyes considering her, before he took a deep breath. 

‘I know,’ he said, ‘I’m sorry’ 

Arin scoffed, ‘Sorry?! Is that the best you’ve got Thomas? Sorry?!’ 

Tommy’s face turned blank and impassive in the face of her rage; he wasn’t going to try and placate her. This lack of empathy only served to enrage her more. 

‘You’re a fucking bastard, you know that?’ she yelled, ‘What am I to you? It’s fine to whore me out sweeten up your deals with local bully boys, as long as I’m there to suck your cock whenever you snap your fingers!’ 

She tried to whirl around to stalk away from him again, but he grabbed her had to stop her moving. 

‘Let go of me!’ she shouted, trying to pull her hand free, but he held on fast, turning her back around so he could hold her by the upper arms. 

‘Arin, I’m sorry’ he said, ‘I shouldn’t have done it. I know. I just wanted everything to go smoothly’ 

‘So smoothly you were prepared to let Kimber have sex with me?!’ she shouted, slapping her hand against his chest, ‘Or rather, to _rape me_ , because there I no way I would submit to that greasy bastard. After everything I’ve been through, Tommy!’   
Tommy didn’t speak for a moment. 

‘I know, I know, I fucked up’ he said quietly, ‘I fucked up. Now _please_ , get in the car, so we can go home’ 

Arin glared at him, trying to radiate across to him just how furious she was. She shrugged his hands off her arms, and pushed past him. She walked back to the car parked a few metres away and climbed into the passenger seat. Tommy was still standing on the road with his back to her, and she visibly saw him take a deep breath before he too turned and got into the car.

They trundled back along the road to Birmingham, utter silence between them, and Arin stared resolutely out of the side of the car at the passing countryside. When they returned to Small Heath she asked Tommy to drop her off in front of The Garrison and that she would walk from there. He nearly objected, but seeing the look on her face desisted and did as she asked. 

She didn’t speak as she got out of the car and shut the door behind her. She walked away from the vehicle and didn’t look back. It was only when she’d returned to her room to find both Caitlyn and May still out somewhere, did she throw herself on the bed, and finally, _finally_ she allowed the tears to fall.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for LadyRedStar, who has faithfully written me lovely comments since I started posting this story. Also a massive shout out to Cat and to Awktavia who both wrote me lovely comments on the last chapter.
> 
> I wasn't going to post this 'til the weekend, but I'm super busy this weekend, and I was feeling joyful today, so I bumped the schedule forward a bit. Please please please let me know what you think as these chapters take a while to write/edit, and it means the world to mean when you guys feedback. 
> 
> Love
> 
> V
> 
> x

Ch. 11

Arin didn’t leave the house for the next three days. She didn’t want to chance running into Tommy, or any of the Shelbys for that matter. Even Ada. She knew her newfound friend would be wondering where she was, but had perhaps been stopped from asking by fear of Tommy. 

Arin had busied herself with jobs around the house that needed to be done; cleaning and mending and the such like. She also helped May with her letters, which Freddie admitted he was useless at, having never paid much attention in school, so had asked Arin to help instead. May was good with her letters, and she seemed interested, so Arin tried to foster that. She’d always enjoyed reading and writing at school.

She was darning some of May’s old smocks when she heard Maggie call up the stairs for her. 

‘Arin! There’s someone at the door!’ 

Arin sighed lightly to herself, setting the mending down on the bed beside her. She suspected that she knew who it might be, and she had no desire to face him at the moment. She had half a mind to ask Maggie to send whoever it was away. Yet, she knew that Maggie wouldn’t dare do anything except wait for her, so she had little choice but to get rid of her visitor herself. She put down May’s shirt and walked into the hallway, squaring her shoulders, before heading down the stairs. 

She was slightly surprised to see that it wasn’t Tommy at the door, but John, leaning against the doorframe, chewing on a toothpick, looking relaxed. 

‘Why has he sent you?’ she asked as she stopped in front of the open doorway, her arms folded across her chest. She heard Maggie’s sharp intact of breath at the way she spoke to John. 

‘You didn’t come to work last night’ said John, spitting the toothpick out onto the pavement. 

‘Oh,’ said Arin in an uninterested tone, ‘And has Tommy told you why that might be?’ 

John shook his head with a shrug.

‘Of course he hasn’t’ Arin half scoffed, ‘Well at least he didn’t send you here to make his half-arsed apologies.’ 

‘No, although he’s been very cagey ever since the weekend’ said John, standing up straight, ‘What happened?’ 

Arin sighed and rubbed a hand across her eyes, ‘I don’t really want to talk about it, John. What’s done is done, I was just feeling very fragile yesterday. I’m sorry I missed work.’

John considered her for a moment, ‘Okay. It’s alright. I know it’s not like you, and from the way you’ve both been acting it’s gotta be Tommy’s fault right?’

Arin shrugged, ‘Something like that’

‘So, you’ll be there tonight?’ John asked, shoving his hands in his pockets, ‘Back at work?’

Arin nodded tiredly, ‘Yes, I’ll be there tonight.’ 

John half-smiled, and patted her lightly on the arm, ‘Cheer up Arin’ 

She couldn’t help but smile; John was clearly in a good mood. It had been a successful weekend for the Shelbys in terms of business; they had made a decent amount of money, and looked set to make an awful lot more. It just hadn’t been successful for her, not on a personal front at least. 

‘I’ll be seeing you’ said John, turning on his heel and walking away. Arin sighed for a moment, leaning against the doorframe, watching as John disappeared down a side alleyway, two people skittering out the ways as he passed. She wondered whether Tommy would try and talk to her tonight. She didn’t trust herself not to explode in anger at him again. She definitely couldn’t afford to do that in front of the crowd at The Garrison. She shut the door and turned back, it was several hours before she would be needed at work anyway. 

**

She was pulling pints behind the bar as usual that night. Some of the regulars had commented on her slightly down-at-heart manner and she’d purposefully tried to pep up a little, put a convincing smile on her face. Bill had had to give her a nudge earlier when she’d accidentally shattered a glass when someone had mentioned that Billy Kimber had been fuming at the races on Saturday. She’d hurriedly cleaned up, just about managing to avoid cutting her hand open on a stray shard of glass. 

It wasn’t until later, however, that trouble came in. 

John was in the front, with Arthur, Pol, Tommy and someone Arin didn’t know coming up behind, the door slammed shut after they came in. They all headed straight for the snug, although they didn’t seem to be in a particularly celebratory mood. Arin vaguely wondered why all of them were here. It was rare that Polly came in with the boys at night. She wondered if they were discussing business. Tommy hadn’t even looked at her as he’d passed.

The hatch door opened and Arthur’s face appeared. 

‘Five pints of dark beer’ he said to her, his tone perfunctory. 

She nodded and hurried to pour them, ignoring a punter at the bar who had definitely been there before Arthur opened the hatch. Not that the man minded, he knew the rules around here. She pushed the drinks over to Arthur who nodded his thanks before turning away. He didn’t shut the hatch behind him. Arin turned back to serve the man who was waiting, but got distracted by the look of fear on the man’s face as he looked back at the hatch. Arin straightened up and looked over her shoulder, seeing Tommy’s face in the window, relaxed and expectant. He beckoned to her with his finger.

‘Mr. Shelby’ she said, looking at him, ‘What can I do for you?’ 

‘I want a word’ he said curtly. 

‘Here?’ she asked, ‘Now?’ 

‘No,’ he said, ‘Later. After work’ 

Arin would very dearly have liked to refuse, but the look on his face was hard and demanding. Even she, who had seen him at his most vulnerable, knew that he wasn’t asking – he was telling. She nodded. 

‘Is there anything else?’ she asked. 

‘No’ he said, and shut the hatch door with a snap. Arin would very much have liked to have railed at the closed door, but she knew it wouldn’t have done her much good. She turned back to the man who was still waiting, and continued to get his drinks.

The rest of the work night was fairly uneventful. Billy Barman got the next round of drinks for the Shelby nook, so she didn’t speak to any of those inside until it was nearly closing time and the pub was emptying slowly. The Shelby’s had left a few moments ago, and there were only a few people left in the pub. One man was asleep at his table; Bill would have to turf him out in a moment. Arin turned back to the bar to see a pretty brunette standing by the end pumps; she had short brown hair and was wearing a purple hat with a fine lace on top; she clearly didn’t want for money. She’d seen her come in with the Shelby’s at the beginning of the night.

‘Can I help?’ Arin asked. It wasn’t normal to get a woman in here, so when one did appear, Arin noticed. 

‘Yeah, I was wanting a word’ said the woman, ‘The name’s Lizzie’ 

‘Oh aye?’ asked Arin warily. 

‘I just wanted to say that I saw the way Tommy was looking at you earlier’ she said. 

‘What’s it to you?’ asked Arin quickly, wondering if this woman was laying claim to Tommy. He’d not mentioned her before. 

Lizzie smiled, ‘See that? That reaction tells me everything I need to know’ 

Arin didn’t speak, allowing Lizzie to continue, ‘He’s nothing to me. But he clearly is to you’ 

Arin hesitated, wondering what this woman was getting at,. 

‘I used to know Tommy very well before the war,’ said Lizzie, ‘Still do I suppose, in one way or another. All I’m saying, is that whatever he’s done, his pride is bigger than his sense, but his heart means well. Sometimes it takes him a while to come around.’ 

Arin didn’t quite know what to say to this pronouncement, ‘Er…’

‘It’s alright,’ said Lizzie, with a shrug, ‘That’s my piece’ 

Arin nodded jerkily in a note of thanks, extremely confused. Had Tommy sent her to speak to her? Something told Arin that that wasn’t the case, that Tommy wouldn’t have lowered himself to ask anybody else to talk to her for him. No, the woman’s words came entirely from herself, from observation of tonight. Lizzie didn’t say anything else, she just nodded meaningfully at Arin and turned to leave. 

Arin continued cleaning up the pub, wiping the last of the beer stains off the bar, thinking about what Lizzie had said; she knew Tommy’s pride was great, but she hoped it wasn’t so great he couldn’t bring himself to speak to her again. 

She would leave before Billy Barman tonight, he had some paperwork to do in the ledger. She’d heard Tommy saying that he wanted to see the figures by the beginning of next week, just to see what was selling well and what could do with changing out. She wondered whether Tommy wanted her to go around to the Shelby place in order to talk to her. 

Her question was answered for her when she stepped out of the pub about ten minutes later and Tommy was leaning against the wall opposite, a cloud of smoke drifting above his head. She stopped in the doorway of the pub, and waited for him to approach her as he surely would. 

‘Smoke?’ he asked her, without a preliminary greeting. 

‘Got me own’ she said, reaching into her bag and drawing one out of her bag. She realised she’d left her matches behind the bar, however, and Billy had locked the door behind her. 

‘I do need a light though’ she said. Tommy nodded and struck a match for her, lighting the end of the cigarette. She breathed in to draw it, watching the end catch and glow. 

‘Let’s walk’ said Tommy, his tone still perfunctory, his hands in his pockets. 

‘Are we not going to your home?’ asked Arin. 

Tommy shook his head, ‘I wanted to take you to see something’ 

Arin didn’t reply, and wondered whether he had another surprise in store for her. The last time he’d showed her something it had been contraband guns. She noticed he still hadn’t made any attempt at an apology. He didn’t speak as they headed down towards The Cut and towards Charlie Strong’s yard. Last time they had been down here – Arin balked, she didn’t want to think about last time. 

It took them about five minutes to walk down to the side of the canal, the water was murky and black. They didn’t pass anyone as they walked and Tommy stayed silent, the only sound the swish of his coat. Arin walked half a step behind him, and she had half a mind to turn away and walk home. She knew if she did that she would probably never speak to him again. It was vastly unfair. She didn’t want to follow him, but he drew her in, closer and closer towards the chaos in which he lived his life. 

When they entered the yard Curly was standing there, holding the lead rein of the stallion that Tommy had got from Johnny Dogs. It was an absolutely beautiful horse; his coat a wonderful grey colour, with a mane that was almost white. Arin noticed that he was wearing a pillion saddle. 

‘Are we going for a ride?’ she asked, surprise bringing her out of her silence. 

‘You said you hadn’t been riding since you left Dublin’ said Tommy, ‘I thought you’d like it’ 

‘It’s almost midnight’ she said, surprised. 

‘And?’ asked Tommy, taking the rein from Curly who scurried off. Tommy stroked the horse’s nose, putting a soft kiss on it before turning around. He motioned to her to come closer, so he could help her mount before he did. This was Tommy extending his hand to her; the beginning of an apology. He would not offer again. 

She stepped up and took his hand, he guided her to the stirrup and hoisting up her skirts, she mounted behind the pillion. It was dark, no one could see her bare legs, but she could feel the May breeze on her skin. It wasn’t cold, merely pleasantly cool. She leant backwards so Tommy could mount in front of her, sitting in front of the pillion. She had nowhere to hold on except at his waist, so she placed her hands as lightly as she could, and held on mostly with her thighs on the horse’s flanks, as he trotted out of the yard and away from the canal. 

She deliberated where they might be going; Tommy certainly wasn’t giving any hints as they rode in silence away from The Garrison and to the edge of Small Heath. The horse’s hooves were clipping on the compact gravel road, and it occasionally snorted, breaking the silence. Arin had been through here once before, in the communal carriage that had brought her from the centre of Birmingham when she’d first arrived. They started to climb out towards a grassy area at the edge of the houses, a few small hills that rose up out of the lingering city smog. Tommy reined up a few moments later at the top of one of these hills and dismounted, before turning around to help Arin down as well. 

He turned away momentarily and bent down to the ground, picking up a small lantern that was sitting on a slab of stone. He lit the candle that was inside, which added a more immediate light source than the gas lamps in the city below, and the light of the moon above. Arin could see that they were in a graveyard, and she wondered why Tommy had brought her here, of all places. 

Tommy took her hand then, and she didn’t protest, as he led her through some of the smaller graves, towards the centre of the yard. It was dark underfoot, and she was glad of his hand to steady her step. She didn’t know this path, whereas he clearly did. They stopped in front of large dark stone mausoleum, standing above the monuments around. She read the word ‘SHELBY’, which was carved in relief above the heavy stone door. It was only visible from the flickering light of Tommy’s lantern. 

‘Why here?’ she whispered, still looking at the dark stone, feeling the weight of it compressing the air around her, even as she stood in front of it. There was something odd about standing in a graveyard, it brought home the the presence of death, despite the obvious vitality of life in her and in Tommy. It reminded her that it was never far away. 

‘You don’t need to whisper,’ said Tommy, and she could hear the grin in his voice, ‘There’s no one here’ 

She knew Tommy didn’t believe in God or ghosts; that he’d left his sense of spirits buried deep in the mud in France, but she couldn’t help but let out a little shiver, as she shook death off her shoulder. 

‘The Shelby Mausoleum’ said Tommy in explanation, ‘My grandaddy built it once he realised he had enough money to build a monument to his name. There’s space in here for all of us.’

That was quite a sobering thought; that all the Shelby’s had a space in the afterlife already waiting for them. Tommy had a grave, John had a grave, Polly had a grave… even little Finn had a space waiting for him. Arin shivered again. 

‘Why did you bring me here?’ she asked again, her eyes searching for Tommy’s in the dim light. His blue gaze pierced hers, even in the gloom. 

‘I wanted to show you something’ he said, he handed her the lantern and walked away from her, around the back of the stone monolith. In the few moments that it was gone Arin was able to read the names on the front of the stone, by the flickering glow of the candle. 

_SEAMUS A. SHELBY 1840 – 1899_

_ANNABEL SHELBY 1873 – 1909_

_ROSE SHELBY 1906 – 1909_

_ARTHUR SHELBY 1865 – 1910_

_MARTHA SHELBY 1890 – 1917_

Five names. Five members of the same family all buried beneath this crushing stone. She supposed that Annabel and Arthur must be Thomas’ parents, but she wasn’t sure. She’d never asked him. She didn’t know who Martha or Rose had been. 

Tommy reappeared just then and took her hand again, leading her around the back of the mausoleum. She saw that there were two huge stone blocks here; one taller than the other. She put the lantern down as Tommy climbed up onto the first one, and then the second, before leaning down and helping her up as well. She clambered onto the first block, and up onto the second after Tommy had vacated it for the roof of the mausoleum. He helped her up the final step and onto the roof. 

She couldn’t help but let her mouth fall open. The view from up here showed the whole of the south side of Birmingham, spreading out like a glittering spider’s web, with the pinpricks of the gas lamps along the streets shining out the thoroughfares. The odd light was still on in some of the windows, adding to the effect. It wasn’t bright enough, however, that it obscured the stars. Where the edge of the city met the sky, it turned to inky black and rose to a velvet throw studded with bright stars and the glowing light of the moon. It was so quiet that she could hear her own breath ringing in her ears as she gazed outwards.

‘It’s beautiful up here’ she breathed, looking around in wonder. 

‘Yes,’ said Tommy, standing by her side and also looking out, ‘I never appreciated until after the war, and then I started coming up here to think. No one else comes up here.’ 

‘So why bring me?’ she asked, looking around at him. 

‘I thought you would like it’ said Tommy and she felt his shrug beside her. 

‘I do like it’ she breathed, ‘It’s amazing’ 

Tommy walked forward to the very edge of the black cube. It stood at least ten feet off the ground below, and the grass was lost to darkness. Tommy sat down, his legs hanging over the edge of his family’s resting place. She hesitated for a moment before going to join him. She sat down beside him, looking out towards the city. 

‘You’re not cold, are you?’ Tommy asked suddenly. 

‘No,’ she said, ‘I’m alright’

There was a moment’s silence. 

‘Is Annabel your mother?’ she asked, casting around for something to say. Seeing as they were sitting atop a grave, she didn’t think the topic would be off limits. 

‘Yes’ he said. 

‘And Arthur your da?’ she asked.

‘Yup’ he said, ‘But he’s not here’

‘But his name’s on the stone...?’ asked Arin.

‘Yes’ said Tommy with a shrug, ‘He left us in 1910, ran out on us, just after ma died and when Finn was only tiny. He’s as good as dead to us’ 

Arin didn’t pursue the topic, the hardness in his voice told her not to. 

‘Martha was John’s wife,’ said Tommy, continuing, ‘She died giving birth to their fourth kid. And Rose was our sister. Scarlet Fever got her when she was two.’ 

Arin didn’t reply but she knew he felt her nod in the darkness. They still hadn’t spoken about what had happened at Cheltenham. She felt Tommy reach out and then take her hand. He didn’t speak, but his thumb was moving across the back of her skin. 

She gasped suddenly and pointed with her free hand, ‘Look at that!’ 

She traced as a shooting star soared across the sky in front of them, leaving a trail of light in its wake. She had always been told to wish on shooting stars, so she quickly muttered in old Gaelic whatever first sprung to mind. Tommy chuckled. 

‘What?’ she asked him, ‘It’s what my ma used to do’ 

Tommy nodded, ‘Yes, my ma too’ 

She turned towards him, looking at his chiseled face thrown into sharp relief by the moon’s light; one side light, the other completely dark. He looked across at her as well and opened his mouth to speak, his eyes flickering between hers. 

‘Don’t say it’ she said suddenly, a little unsure why she had. Tommy paused, and tilted his head to the side considering her. She realised that now, even though she’d been thinking about it for days, she didn’t actually need to hear him say it.

‘I don’t need to hear you say it,’ she said, clarifying, ‘Bringing me up here, to your family, showing me this place, has shown me you mean it. I don’t need to hear the words’ 

Tommy nodded, his hand still closed over hers squeezed a little. Tommy was a man who could appreciate when words sometimes fell short. 

‘Just promise me one thing though,’ she said, looking at him seriously. 

‘Yes?’ he asked softly. 

‘Never make me part of your deals again, without asking me, without including me’ she said, trying to make her voice as steely as possible, ‘Otherwise I will take that gun you gave me, and use it on you’

If Tommy felt surprised, he didn’t show it on his face. He just considered her for a moment before bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it gently. 

‘I promise’ he said. That was all he said. He didn’t say anymore. He didn’t have to; when Tommy Shelby made a promise like that, it was a binding contract. She nodded, accepting. His free hand came up to her face, holding her as he leaned over to kiss her. It had only been three days since he’d last kissed her, but those moments of not knowing whether she ever would again had been awful. Now as he kissed her it was like she was breathing again for the first time since the races. She couldn’t help but draw into him, wanting to be close to his warmth. She raised a hand to his face and deepened the kiss, feeling his breath catch as he poured out the promise through his lips. He broke away a moment later. She leaned across, putting her head on his shoulder, watching their world stretching in front of them. He lit a cigarette for himself, before putting his arm around her and holding her close.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With huge amounts of thanks to LadyRedStar, Cat (who left me a lovely comment <3), Awktavia, Alex, Bloomsky, Jewel_Of_The_Mountain (who caught up all in one go!), and AndInWonderland who all left me amazing comments this week. These really really inspire me to keep writing and make me really happy, so thank you for taking the time to comment. I hope you like this chapter *heh heh*...
> 
> I normally have a bit of the next chapter written before I post the previous one... I state now I haven't even started ch.13. I'll try get some written this weekend, but I'm so busy at the moment it's crazy... Anyway, hope you like this. 
> 
> V
> 
> xxx

Ch.12

They stayed atop that grave for a least another hour. Tommy talked to her as they sat; telling her about his mother. He’d clearly loved her very much, his eyes still lit up a little when he talked about her, and it had been a devastating blow when she’d died. The first of many devastating blows for Tommy; who’d had his childhood destroyed in bits and pieces over the years that had followed; chipping away at him until he was sculpted into the man he’d become. He didn’t talk about his father, so Arin didn’t ask, she sensed that that topic was still off limits.

Eventually, he took her hand again and led her back to the horse that had been munching patiently on grass from an overgrown grave that clearly hadn’t been tended to in years. She mounted up and Tommy did the same. This time, rather than simply holding onto him, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her cheek against the material of his coat. Something had happened here tonight. He’d spread his arms wide to bring her in, he’d given her the winning hand, which would allow her to completely destroy him if she wished. She could bring him to knees, to make him a man who would never recover. But she didn’t want that. She had never wanted anything less. 

They arrived back at Watery Lane and it was completely deserted, apart from a lone policeman at the end of the lane. They’d dropped the horse off at the yard, Tommy tying him up in a stall near the hay, before walking back up here. Tommy had taken her hand as they’d walked. There had been nobody about, but that didn’t matter to her, it was the gesture that counted to her. He unlocked the door to the house and opened the door, letting her in first. He gestured up the stairs whilst unnecessarily putting his finger to his lips. She walked ahead of him and up the stairs, being sure to make sure the little heels on her boots didn’t click too much on the stairs. The whole house was asleep. 

She walked into his bedroom, and bent to undo her boots, loosening the laces so that they would just slip off her feet. She placed them beside his dresser as usual. She straightened up to see Tommy looking at her, his hands in his pockets, by the door, looking as if he was contemplating something. A look passed between them, an understanding. He didn’t speak and she didn’t answer. His mouth curled up very slightly at the edges. She smiled at him in return, and shrugged very slightly, as he walked fully into the room, closing the door with a slight snap behind him. He drew her to him then, and kissed her deeply. His mouth was soft and warm, and the hand at the small of her back was insistent in pulling her as close as possible. He kicked off his shoes without looking as he deepened the embrace. She gasped and let her head fall back as his mouth moved to her neck, gently kissing and nipping at the soft skin exposed there. His hands slid to the buttons on her jacket and undid them one by one, still kissing her, his hands sliding inside to rest on her waist. She did the same to his waistcoat buttons, he having shed his jacket downstairs. It pooled down onto the floor, quickly followed by his shirt. 

This was the first time she’d seen Tommy shirtless, and she stepped back a moment to marvel at his chest; it was pale and beautiful, with a curving of muscles from his pecs down to the soft ‘v’ of his hips. There was a blue tattoo on the left towards his shoulder, another on his arm, there was also a scar that must have been caused by a bullet, or a piece of shrapnel. She gently traced her fingers over the scar, feeling the rough skin at the edges, before he took her hand and kissed each of her fingers in turn, before pulling her back in to kiss her demandingly on the mouth. His hands went to her shirt buttons, and that and her skirt soon pooled on the floor underneath her feet. Now she was simply stood before him in her bodice, stockings and underwear. He stepped back, gazing at her form before, his gaze was hungry and his eyes aflame with desire, causing her body to flood with warmth. His mouth kissed the tops of her breasts where they were pushed up over the top of the bodice, she gently pulled on his hair to bring his mouth back up to hers. 

His hands, which had clearly had practice, deftly undid the clasps of her bodice without looking. It too hit the floor. She stepped out of her pile of clothes as he pulled her towards the bed against the wall. As they walked she deftly undid his trouser buttons and pushed those off him, letting him step out of them before he pushed her down onto the bed. He positioned himself between her legs, kissing her breasts, bringing her nipples to peaks as he made love to the skin with his tongue. She gasped slightly as he nipped her very gently on her sensitive skin. His hands moved into her underwear and gently pulled them down her legs, so she could kick them off the end of the bed. Now she was just wearing her stockings, which were no longer attached to garters. Tommy didn’t seem to mind, however, and she reached down between them and rubbed his now-hard cock through his underwear. He gasped hotly against her neck, as she slid a hand under the waistband and grasped him, moving her hand up and down the silky skin slowly a few times, before she pushed his underwear off, leaving them both naked. 

His mouth found hers again as his fingers traced down her body to the place between her legs that was hot and wet, she moaned quietly as he rubbed her clit a few times, causing her to push her head back into the pillow, as her breathing became shallow. His hand slid from between her legs to the outside of her thigh, encouraging her to move her leg so that her knee was pushed tight against her chest. He broke away from kissing her to look into her eyes, she saw the flame dancing there, a passion that made her toes curl in delight as he looked her with utter desire. He filled every part of her mentally as he bent down to kiss her and at the same moment, slid inside of her. She gasped at the feeling. It had been a long time since she’d last had sex, and her body stretched to accommodate Tommy. 

‘Jesus Tommy’ she half whispered against his neck as he began to move, his hips rocking into hers. She couldn’t help but close her eyes in delight as he rocked back and forward, the angle of her legs allowing him a deep penetration. His mouth was back on hers, his tongue demanding hers answer him, and she grasped the back of his neck, pleasure coursing through her, the sound of skin meeting skin.

‘Arin’ he mumbled against her mouth as she tightened around him, her muscles clamping around his cock, ‘Fuck… fuck’ 

His pace sped up and he reached over her head to grasp at the headboard to steady himself. She couldn’t help but reach up to grasp at the cool metal bars herself, in a way to give her an outlet for the pleasure that was firing through every part of her body. She could feel every inch of him as he moved, his lips kissing everywhere they could reach. Then he withdrew, his breathing heavy. He pulled her up so that she was sitting on his lap, her thighs either side of his, she kissed him deeply before reaching down to grasp his cock and guide him back inside of her. He groaned as she sank right down, taking him all the way in. She could feel him deep within her, a hot heavy, _delightful_ weight. Here he could make love to her breasts with his mouth and she curled her hands into his hair, tugging gently, causing him to hiss as she rolled her hips against his. He broke away and looked at her with amazement as she leant back, moving her body on his, her mouth hanging open slightly with joy. His hands came up and caught her around the back, pulling her close and in for a kiss once more. One of his hands moved between them, rubbing at her clit and she moaned and gasped in his ear, the pleasure building somewhere behind her naval, like a ball of light pulling her forward with all its strength. The feeling was immensely intense and she squirmed in delight as her nerves lit on fire with the sensations he was making her feel. 

‘Ahhhh,’ she moaned in Tommy’s ear as she felt herself come undone, her walls tightening around him, causing him to huff in ecstasy as she came. He held her tightly to his chest as she shook with pleasure, but then quick as flash he rolled them back over, putting one of her legs over his shoulder and the other pushed up towards her chest. This angle allowed him the deepest penetration and he didn’t allow her any time to recover from her own orgasm as he fucked her quickly, his pace more demanding than before. She could still feel vibrations from her cumming around her body and knew that he could feel it deep within her as well. The headboard was knocking gently against the wall and she prayed that Ada, who had the room next door, was too fast asleep to notice. Arin looked at Tommy’s face, the deep joy she felt mirrored in the intensity of his gaze. 

‘Arin, fuck, fuck’ he huffed, kissing her on the neck, he groaned deeply as his body went rigid, pushing forward into her as he came. He bit lightly on her skin to stop himself making a noise as his orgasm washed over him. He let out a deep breath of satisfaction after a moment, staying inside her. He was gazing down at her face. She moved a hand to his forehead to push a stray lock of hair out of the way that had fallen forward. His eyes were cooling back to their usual calm state. 

He pulled out of her slowly and rolled away, moving to the pull the blankets around both of them. He was holding her close. She turned to look at him, his gaze was meaningful and deep, bottomless blue fathoms to the soul buried within. She didn’t need to say a word; everything she needed to know was in those eyes; some of it in a language she didn’t yet understand, but the bit she could understand promised her that he was here, she was here, and he was holding her. With that thought in mind, she began to drift off into an easy sleep as he dimmed the light in the room. It was only a few hours until the morning, and she gratefully enjoyed the dark as it washed over them both. 

**

In the hour before dawn, when darkness was at its deepest, Arin awoke as Tommy stirred beside her, his hand skimming across her bare hip. She was still half asleep, the night still very much behind her eyes. Tommy moved close behind her, his hand gently moving between her legs, gently moving across her softest skin, searching, touching. 

‘Tommy’ she gently whined, but not moving away all the same. She moved her legs slightly apart to accommodate him, as his chest pressed against her back and she felt his hardness against the back of her thighs. His fingers were still dancing around her opening, dipping in and out of her wet heat, causing her to gasp hotly. She didn’t move as he pressed against her, one hand coming around her chest as he slid home. He gasped against her neck at the feeling of her soft wet warmth and she moaned lightly at the feeling of his hardness deep within her once again. He was still half asleep, but his need was deep, real, and insistent as he made love to her in the womb of the night. She gently moaned out her pleasure, clenching her walls around him as he moved, his lips on the back of her neck. It didn’t take him long to spend within her, moments after she shook in her own brief peak of pleasure, and his movements gently stilled. He stayed where he was, however, and his slow breathing told Arin’s half wakeful mind that he’d drifted off back to sleep, his desire and need sated. She smiled a slow, sleepy smile, and drifted off back into the deepness of sleep as well.

**

When she woke in the morning the space beside her was empty, yet the indentation left by a body was still warm so it told her that Tommy hadn’t been gone long. She was amazed that he had actually managed to get up without waking her, but then she spotted the opium pipe on the bedside table and remembered that Tommy had lit extra in the middle of the night. It had probably kept her under until now. The door opened a moment later and Tommy appeared, his shirt sleeves rolled up to elbows, his hands in his pockets. He looked down at her as she sat up on the bed, swinging her legs over the side. His eyes raked over her naked form, and she knew he was reliving moments of last night. 

‘Good morning’ she smiled, stretching slightly and then searching around for her bodice from the night before. She located it and started to put it on, adjusting it so it sat properly. She was glad that she didn’t wear the full corset that Aunt Maggie still wore. Those things were a nightmare.

‘Morning’ he said, leaning against the doorframe, ‘Listen, we’ve got a family meeting just after a breakfast at The Garrison. I want you to be there.’ 

Arin’s mouth fell open before she spoke, ‘But I’m not family’ 

Tommy tilted his head, ‘True, but I want you there nonetheless’

Arin didn’t speak for a moment or two. This was unprecedented. Nobody went to Shelby family meetings except blood kin and those tied by wedded vow, she’d been allowed to stay for the very short one they’d had in the study a few weeks regarding the Watery Lane bonfire. She had supposed at the time that was more to do with prudence than thought. 

‘What will the others say?’ Arin half-whispered, her hands stilled in the process of pulling on her stockings. 

Tommy shrugged, ‘They’ll accept it’ 

Arin could tell the subject was closed, but her mind was still awhirl with what he’d just said. 

‘I need to go and see the twins briefly,’ said Tommy, ‘Then I’ll be back’ 

Arin nodded and stood up, finishing fastening her garters. 

‘Polly and John are downstairs,’ said Tommy, turning about and reaching for his jacket, ‘Polly will see to you’ 

‘Alright’ said Arin, reaching down for her dress that was hanging over the back of the chair in the bedroom. She’d taken to putting it there now, rather than just in a heap on the floor like to had been the first night she’d spent in Tommy’s bed. Tommy did up his collar and left the room, leaving Arin to finish getting dressed in peace. Tommy didn’t have a looking glass in his room, so Arin had to sort her hair out by touch. She knew that her hair was a little bit out of place, but she tried to flatten it down somewhat. She kept meaning to go and get it cut, but hadn’t yet found a moment. She supposed she could have Polly do it for her. 

Once she was reasonably respectable she headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Arthur’s bedroom door was still closed, as was Ada’s, but Polly’s was open, showing the empty room beyond. Of course, John didn’t have a room here; his house was across the street with his four nippers, but he spent most of his life here. In front of the scrubbed wooden table sat John and Polly. Polly was drinking tea and John was eating bread with jam. 

‘Hello Arin’ said John, nodding in her direction, a vague look of amusement dancing in his eyes. 

‘Tea?’ asked Polly, moving over to the brazier where a pot stood. 

‘Please’ said Arin, watching as Polly poured into a china cup. She noticed that she hadn’t been given one of the pottery mugs that were for the family; she was still a guest in this house in Polly’s eyes. 

‘Is this going to be a regular thing then?’ asked John, considering her whilst chewing, ‘You seem to have been a lot lately’

Arin shrugged, certain that Tommy wouldn’t thank her for revealing their exploits last night, ‘Dunno. You’ll have to ask Tommy’ 

‘He probably doesn’t know himself’ said John. 

‘Oh I bet he does’ said Polly, looking at her in a calculating sort of way. Arin couldn’t decide whether this was an ominous pronouncement or not. Neither had made any inclination that they knew Tommy and she had consummated their relationship last night, and what that might mean for her position within this family. Arin knew she meant something to Tommy, she was special to him, in one way or another. Exactly what that meant she had no idea. Arin couldn’t help but let a grin cross her features and she tried wipe it from her face before either of the others spotted it. 

‘Do you want some food?’ asked Polly. 

‘No thank you’ said Arin, drinking her tea, ‘I’m not hungry’ 

Polly nodded and sat down again, picking up the paper she had been reading before Arin came down the stairs. 

‘BSA are out on strike again,’ said Polly to no-one in particular, ‘And they’ve caught a Communist agitator’ 

‘Not Freddie is it?’ asked John with a laugh; he was probably thinking about Ada. 

Polly didn’t laugh in return, ‘No it’s not Freddie’ 

She didn’t say any more as she rifled through the paper and the clock slowly ticked forward. Five minutes went by and the front door opened with Lovelock, Scudboat and the Twins coming through door, followed up by Tommy, who took his cap off as he walked in. The other boys headed back to the shop to start setting it up for the day. Tommy stood by the head of the table. 

‘Where’s Arthur?’ asked Tommy, putting his cap down on the table, and looking about. 

Polly shrugged, ‘Dunno’ 

Tommy looked up at the hallway above, ‘And Ada?’ 

‘Probably still in bed’ she said. 

Tommy’s face was a picture of disbelief as he turned and stalked away up the stairs. Little Finn scuttled in from the yard after Tommy had left. 

‘Where have you been?’ asked Polly, as he tried to sneak past, ‘Your hands are filthy’ 

‘Curly had the bonnet up’ said Finn, ‘I was looking’ 

‘Aye, and touching, judging by the fact your hands are covered in oil,’ said Polly, ‘Go and wash ‘em, and don’t touch anything until you do’ 

Finn didn’t disagree and hurried off to do as he was bid. As he did so Arin heard raised voices from upstairs. Or rather one raised voice; Arthur’s. He was grumbling, loudly, about something, but Tommy wasn’t shouting back. 

A few moments later Tommy came back down the stairs, his face grim. 

‘He’s in his cups again’ he said, ‘I got him up. He’s going to splash himself with water and come down’ 

Polly didn’t say anything, she just nodded, her dark eyes contemplative. A few moments later there was a staggering sound from upstairs and Arthur came slowly down the steep steps to the table, and collapsed into a chair. Nobody spoke as Polly pushed tea across the table towards him and some bread. 

‘Soak it up’ she said, her voice hard. Finn came back and sat down at the table as well, his feet swinging because they didn’t reach the floor. 

‘Arin and I’ll head over to The Garrison’ said Tommy, ‘Meet you there when you’re finished’

‘What about Scudboat?’ asked Polly sharply, ‘Lovelock and the Twins are going to the yard in five minutes to pick up new slips. He’ll be on his own.’ 

‘We’ll only be a few minutes’ said John quickly, ‘Then I’ll come back’

‘Well seeing as it’s you who called this meeting,’ said Polly, her eyebrow raised, ‘Best be quick, why we can’t ‘ave it here’ 

John shrugged as Arin got up, ‘I told you, don't want others to hear, not yet'

‘Is she coming?’ asked Polly, motioning to Arin, completely ignoring John. 

‘Yes’ said Tommy, his hand on the small of Arin’s back, Polly’s eyes followed his hand, her eyes drinking in the gesture. He didn’t say any more than that as they left the house and headed down the lane towards the pub. 

‘Does Polly object?’ Arin asked him as they walked. 

‘No’ said Tommy shortly, lighting a cigarette, ‘She just wants to know exactly what’s going on’ 

Arin nodded as a man walked past, doffing his cap to both of them. 

‘Good Morning Mr. Shelby, Miss Fletcher’ he said as he walked on. Tommy said nothing, just dragged in on his lit cigarette. Tommy walked in through the front door of the pub. Billy Barman was here already, sweeping up some of last night’s previously missed debris. 

‘Didn’t know you were working this morning Arin’ he said, looking up from his sweeping. 

‘She’s not Bill’ said Tommy, opening the door to the snug, ‘She’s with me’ 

With that Tommy led her into the snug and shut the door, after Arin had caught a glimpse of Bill’s surprised face. As she took a seat to wait for the others she couldn’t help but let a wave of warmth wash over her. _She’s with me_ Tommy had said. Her eyes flicked up and watched as he stood by the hatch, pulling an ashtray towards him to stub out the end of his old cigarette before reaching for another one. He didn’t look at her, but it didn’t matter, he’d said it. 

_She’s with me_

Arin loved it, and her hated herself in that moment. How could she be so weak? Yet, in that moment she wasn’t sure she cared.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one has taken a bit longer to get out. I've just been so insanely busy lately that I haven't really had time to finish it. I don't like to just sit down, write, and then post. I like to go back and edit, add detail etc. All that takes time. I was barely at home this last week/end so it's been hard to finish this up. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like it!
> 
> With big thanks to Izzy03331, Awktavia, mymymetrocard, LadyRedStar, and Riadanian for their lovely comments. It means so much when people comment! <3 
> 
> Also, I know this chapter is a bit shorter than my others, and a bit less exciting, but I promise you things are about to get really interesting. And not just part-of-the-tv-show interesting. I've got some plot twists all lined up for ya. Mwhahahahaha. 
> 
> Love V   
> xx

Ch. 13

‘Alright John, what is it?’ asked Tommy, almost as soon as John sat down at the table in the snug. John looked uncomfortable, and was fiddling with his cap between his hands, twisting it into a knot and then back again. Arthur had opened a paper the moment he’d come in, and was using it to hide his hangdog face. He was clearly feeling the effect of last night’s whisky this morning, despite the water Tommy had made him douse himself in. Polly was sat down opposite John, looking expectant. 

‘What is it John?’ she asked, not unkindly, but with an edge to her voice. 

‘Well,’ said John, struggling to think of how to say what was on his mind, even though it had clearly been plaguing him for a while, ‘You know how it’s been, since Martha died’. 

‘God takes the best first’ said Polly quickly, laying her hands on top of John’s and giving them a squeeze. Coming out of anyone else’s mouth this would’ve sounded trite, but Arin knew that Polly meant it. 

‘Well, the truth is, my nippers have been running bloody rings around me’ said John gruffly, ‘Running bare foot through the streets at all hours of the morning’ 

‘So what d’you want then? Polly, give him ten bob for some shoes, is that it John?’ said Tommy impatiently from by the hatch door. Arin couldn’t help but flick her eyes in his direction, tempted to tell him to be kinder, but Polly got there first.

‘Tommy!’ said Polly sharply, ‘It would be easier to do this without you’. 

‘No,’ said John carefully, ‘What it is, what the kids need… is a mother. Which is why I’m getting married.’ 

A brief silence followed these words, as Polly shot a glance towards Tommy, who was looking at the back of John’s head. Whatever he’d been expecting his younger brother to say, Arin could guess that it wasn’t this.

‘Does this poor girl know you’re going to marry her? Or are you just going to spring it on her?’ said Polly, and Arin couldn’t help but let a grin curl at the corners of her mouth. 

‘I’ve proposed… and, and… she’s said yes’ said John nervously. 

‘I feel like there’s shell about to land and go bang’ said Tommy sarcastically, lighting another cigarette. 

‘Who is this girl?’ said Polly. 

There was another pause. Even Arthur was watching John over the top of his paper.

It’s er, it’s Lizzie Stark’ said John. 

The reaction was instantaneous. Arthur laughed, Polly snorted with laughter, and even Tommy smirked. 

‘Lizzie Stark?’ questioned Polly instantly, ‘John. Lizzie Stark’s never done a day’s work vertical!’ 

‘I won’t hear it!’ shouted John, slamming his cap on the table, the noise made Polly stop laughing.

There was a pause, as Arin’s mind whirred. Was Lizzie the girl who’d been in the pub last night? Was that why she’d been there?

‘Look, I’m sure Lizzie provides a errr… fine service for a customers-‘

‘She’s changed!’ shouted John cutting Polly off, ‘She said she’s given it up’. 

‘Oh aye?’ said Tommy sceptically. 

‘Look Tommy’ said John, ‘I won’t do it without your blessing… I need you to say it’s okay’. 

If Arin hadn’t seen the grins on the others faces she might have felt sorry for John. He was clearly very tense and uptight. Tommy ran his hand backwards across his face. 

‘John, she’s changed, has she?’ said Tommy, ‘stopped being a –

‘I won’t hear the word!’ said John again angrily, ‘Anybody who says that word, I will take my gun, and shoot it back down into their throats!’ 

‘What word is that then John?’ asked Tommy testily, ‘Hmmm? Prostitute? Perhaps… or maybe… whore?’ 

John was visible shaking with anger, ‘Tommy, I… I… need someone-

But before John could say anymore the door to the snug burst open. Arin saw Arthur’s hand fly under his jacket to where his gun was usually holstered, but he relaxed when he saw it was Bobby. The kid was panting and out of breath, but he could manage to deliver his message. 

‘Tommy! Tommy! We’ve been done over!’ 

Tommy didn’t hesitate for even half a second, he was past John and out the door, with Polly, John and Arthur hot on his heels. Arin hurried after them, a metre behind Arthur’s coat tails. They burst through the door of the house on Watery Lane a moment later, to see Scudboat groaning on the floor, trying to get to his feet. John hurried forward to help him up. 

‘It was the Lees’ he groaned in explanation, ‘All of them’ 

Arin was standing in the doorway to the betting shop, that looked as if a gale had blown through it. Chairs had been upended, papers were everywhere, a table lay on its side, the curtains had been shredded, boxes thrown asunder. The men stood with their mouths open, aghast at the scene that was before them. 

‘They said it was payback for Cheltenham’ Scudboat said as John helped him into a chair. 

Polly came back from checking the money which she had instantly gone to do a quick count of; ‘Four cash boxes! Gone!’ 

‘And these…’ said Tommy quietly from the other side of the room. Arin looked over then and saw that he was holding a large pair of wire cutters. Arin wondered why on earth the Lee brothers would leave wire cutters, but Polly vocalised her question first.

‘Wire cutters?’ questioned Polly looking bemused, ‘Why would they leave wire cutters?’

Tommy grimaced, looking at the object in his hand, ‘I think our friends are playing the game’ 

Arin didn’t need to hear what this meant to know that it was something bad. John, Arthur and Scudboat all blanched at Tommy’s words and seemed to hold their breath. 

‘What game?’ questioned Pol.

‘Erasmus Lee was in France’ said Tommy, his clever eyes darting about the room, taking in every inch, ‘When we in France and we had to give up ground to the Germans, we’d leave explosives with trip wires, and then leave wire cutters as part of the game’.

There was a breath as Arin tried to take in what he’d just said.

‘Somewhere in here, there’s a hand grenade’ said John slowly, his own eyes looking about, as if to spot the tell-tale thin trip wire. 

‘Oh holy Jesus’ said Polly, revolving slowly on the spot. Arin was rooted where she stood, her mind whirring. She’d seen the aftermath of explosions when she worked near the munitions factory in Dublin. They’d been a bad explosion there one day and several people had been killed, as well as several more maimed. She wasn’t sure she’d ever forget the sight of the mangled limbs and twisted flesh. Arthur, John and Scudboat had slowly started to move, looking about, but Tommy was still stood stock still, his blue eyes wide. 

‘No’ he said suddenly, ‘Boys, no’ 

Arthur and John looked at him quizzically, stopping.

Tommy was shaking his head, ‘No. That bullet the Lees sent had my name on it, they’ve left the trap for me’. 

With that he turned and strode out of the room, leaving Arthur, John and Scudboat frozen in what – in any other circumstances – could’ve been a comic mime or tableaux. Arin didn’t hesitate as she followed his coat tails, she wanted to make sure he would be safe. Tommy clearly knew where the bomb would be. Or at least the threat of the bomb. 

She didn’t even bother calling out his name as he strode around the house, knowing it would do no good, and that he wouldn’t pay attention. He hurried around to the side of the street where the car was kept under cover and stopped dead. A second later Arin saw why. Finn was sitting inside the car; his hands on the steering wheel, a cheeky grin on his face as he made engine noises through his lips. 

‘Finn?’ said Tommy, and for the first time since Arin had met him, she heard the note of a quaver in his voice.

‘Finn,’ he repeated, stepping towards the vehicle, ‘Which door did you open to get in Finn?’ 

‘I didn’t’ Finn giggled, sensing he might be in trouble, ‘I climbed in. I was pretending to be you.’ 

Arin didn’t dare breathe as she watched Tommy take another step towards the car. 

‘Alright,’ said Tommy carefully, ‘I want you to climb out exactly the same way you climbed in.’ 

Finn giggled and threw open the passenger side door, leaping out away from Tommy. 

‘Finn no!’ Tommy yelled, dashing over to the driver side. What Arin did next was instinctive. She dashed towards Finn and grabbed him, pulling him close to her body as she saw Tommy out of the corner of her eye. 

‘CLEAR!’ he yelled as he chucked something towards the other side of the street. Arin shoved Finn up against a wall, shielding him with her body. The resounding explosion shook the street, sending bits of gravel and dirt flying. She felt a few bits hit her back. It wasn’t especially hard, but the explosion was loud enough to run right through the body. She could feel Finn shaking against her. The next moment Tommy was by her shoulder, and pulled her away from Finn. Tommy knelt down in front of the boy, who was still looking fearful. He pulled the boy to him and embraced him. 

‘And that, is why’ breathed Tommy, barely loud enough for Arin to hear, ‘You should _never_ pretend to me, Finn.’ 

Tommy pushed the boy to armlength whilst looking into the boy’s eyes. Finn nodded solemnly, his eyes fearful. 

‘Yes Tommy,’ he said, his voice sounding childish and small, his body still shaking slightly.

‘Go on then,’ Tommy said, getting up and letting go of his younger brother. Finn scarpered away. Arin suspected that he was running off to Polly to get a warm cup of tea and a bit of comfort. Finn had grown up without a mother, so Polly was the nearest thing he had. 

‘Holy shit’ said Tommy a moment later, turning to Arin who was stood nervously by, waiting for his reaction. Arin took one of his hands and held it. She didn’t step towards him or show any more affection other than that. There were people around, and Tommy didn’t ever want to appear weak or needy. The men on the other side of the street were still looking around in shock, or dusting themselves off from where they had thrown themselves on the ground.

‘What are you going to do?’ she asked quietly. 

Tommy shook his head, rubbing the heel of his hand across his forehead, ‘I don’t know’. 

He stood for a moment before taking his hand away and shoving it in his pocket. He drew out a cigarette and lit it before speaking again, ‘I just don’t know.’ 

Arin watched his face carefully. She could tell that this wasn’t entirely true; Tommy was never left completely at a loss. He’d had a shock today; the fact that the Lees had come into his home and threatened his family crossed a threshold that he’d not thought anyone would dare cross. Yet, Tommy was never left completely without a plan. He was never left at a complete disadvantage. Arin could see his clever mind working behind his striking features; his eyes were closed off, but she could practically see the cogs working behind them. Tommy took her arm again then, leading her back towards the house to clean up the mess that the Lees had left behind. They could clean up the betting shop, get rid of the mess, but they wouldn’t be able to clean up the idea that this house was no longer a stronghold. The door had been broken down in more ways than one. 

**

Arin was climbing the stairs just in front of Tommy that night when there came a scraping noise from Tommy’s bedroom. The door was shut so they couldn’t see beyond the end of the hall. Tommy caught her by the arm and made her stop. He put his finger to his lips and moved in front of her, pulling her behind him slightly. Arin saw him reach inside his jacket and draw out his revolver. He clicked down the hammer and moved forward, his feet quiet. Arin tiptoed behind him, but still leaving him space to move. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting to see inside; surely it wasn’t another trap by the Lees? 

Tommy paused outside the door momentarily, listening, and there was another bang and a scrape from inside. Tommy shoved the door open, his weapon raised. John was inside, holding Tommy’s opium pipe. Tommy lowered his weapon. 

‘John, what the fuck are you doing?’ asked Tommy, ‘What are you holding that for?’

‘Couldn’t even get it lit’ said John, holding the pipe, ‘Couldn’t even fucking get that right’.

He sounded drunk and upset. 

Tommy looked over his shoulder at Arin who understood the look in his eyes. This needed to be a moment between brothers; a moment that she didn’t need to be part of. She turned away with a small nod and headed back down the stairs. The door opened just as she headed back into the small lounger area and Ada came in. Arin hadn’t seen Ada in a while, not since before Cheltenham. Maybe it was just what she was wearing today, but Arin thought her pregnancy was looking a little more obvious than it had been. Her stomach showed a slight swell through her dress. 

‘Ada,’ said Arin, moving towards the table. 

‘Arin,’ replied Ada, following her whilst removing her hat, ‘I see you forgave him then?’

‘Did he tell you?’ asked Arin, sitting down. 

‘No,’ said Ada, ‘But when I didn’t see you after Cheltenham I guessed.’ 

Arin nodded. 

‘And now?’ said Ada. 

‘And now what?’ said Arin, being deliberately obtuse. 

‘Well you came from upstairs,’ said Ada with a shrug.

Arin shrugged again, but she couldn’t keep half a smile from appearing on her face. She half shrugged with one shoulder before replying, ‘I forgave him’.

Ada chuckled momentarily and then laid her hand on her slowly swelling belly, ‘Just be careful, alright Arin?’ 

Arin nodded. She looked at Ada again and knew that she was right. Arin didn’t want to have a child, yet she knew that that was precisely the risk she would start to run. She knew that Tommy had a certain set of values that he abided by and lived his life by. It was his own odd moral code, devoid of god, but high in his own sense of right and wrong. Arin knew that if she was to have a child that Tommy would probably marry her. Apart from anything else to do with the implications of actually _having_ a child, Arin didn’t want to back Tommy into a corner like that. _If_ he married her, she wanted it to be because he wanted to, not because he felt obliged to. Arin shook herself out of it and looked back at Ada. 

‘It’s alright Ada,’ she said, ‘I’ll be careful’.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With thanks to LadyRedStar and Izzy03331 for their messages! This is where it all starts to kick off...

Ch. 14

‘You know those men who were in the pub yesterday morning?’ asked Tommy, his voice soft and low. 

They were lying in bed, some weeks after the incident with the hand grenade placed by the Lees. Arin had her head on his chest, and he was gently stroking her hair. They had both just woken up, but seeing no imminent reason to move, had simple stayed put, enjoying each other’s warmth. There was no cloying scent of opium in the room; Tommy hadn't felt the need to use it in a few weeks. Now since he'd had Arin's regular presence in the bed beside him.

‘The ones who claimed to be members of the Irish Republican Army?’ she asked, saying the last three words as though they were filthy. She’d been working the early shift when Tommy had been sitting in the snug, waiting for the men. She’d heard one of them singing a song that she remembered from her teens. The thought made her shudder. 

‘Aye’ said Tommy, continuing his rhythmic stroking of her long hair, ‘One of them wound up dead last night. Face down in the canal. No signs of a struggle at the scene.’

‘What?’ asked Arin, leaning up on her elbow and looking down at him, ‘How?’ 

‘Don’t know’ said Tommy, ‘But there were signs of a bar fight near the Black Swan. Apparently there was a dispute over the bill’

‘Hmmmm’ said Arin sceptically, lying back down on his chest, ‘Seems a bit of an extreme reaction for a mere mix up over the bill’ 

‘Yes’ said Tommy, ‘That’s what makes me think that that definitely wasn’t all there was too it’ 

‘You don’t know what happened?’ she asked. 

Tommy sighed and shook his head, ‘There’s a meeting of Irish dissidents in the Black Swan on a regular, but they’re very selective as to who they let attend. I know that those men were at that meeting, and then a few hours later one of them is dead’ 

Arin nodded, ‘Might have been a fight amongst themselves?’ she asked. 

‘Hmmm’ was all Tommy said, stating that he didn’t think that that was all there was to it. 

‘Either way, what does it matter?’ asked Arin. 

‘I don’t know’ said Tommy, ‘I just don’t like it. Why have these Irish suddenly started coming here like this? Many ran from Campbell before, yet now they’re coming to the city’

Arin nodded, pausing before she spoke, ‘But in reality?’ 

Tommy half smiled, looking down at her, ‘In reality, it’s a matter of guns’ 

Arin looked up into his eyes and then affected to shiver. She didn’t like to talk about the guns, she didn’t know what had happened to them after she’d seen them in Charlie Strong’s yard, and the less she knew about where they’d gone, the better. If word of the guns’ whereabouts had gotten through to the IRA, well they were bound to be interested in them. Tommy was in possession of enough munitions to turn the streets of Belfast into a bloodbath, if he so desired. 

Tommy glanced at the window, where the light of day was peeking through the curtains, ‘I said I’d meet Curly at the stables this morning’ 

‘Now?’ asked Arin, ‘But it’s warm and comfy here’ 

‘Business’ said Tommy, and she all but felt his shrug. He started to move away from her, but she leaned up on one elbow, and placed the other hand between his legs, beginning to touch and fondle, and gently stroke. Tommy froze, not moving any further. 

‘You were saying?’ said Arin, stroking rhythmically as his body betrayed his desire. His eyes found hers and she could see his hooded lust in the icy blue depths. He groaned as she continued to deftly move her hand, teasing his response. 

‘Woman’ he moaned throatily, before grasping her firmly by the wrist and pushing her back on the bed, rolling up on top of her as he did so. Arin giggled delightedly as his lips found her throat. He did get up, eventually. 

**

It was later the same morning and Arin was standing in Tommy’s bedroom, looking at the few dresses that were hanging alongside his suits. She had left a few here because it was easier; she was spending nearly every night in Tommy’s room now, and going back to Freddie’s every day was a bit out of her way. Freddie had stopped asking where she was going at night. It was clear to him and to everybody else in the area that she was Mr. Shelby’s woman. It didn’t matter that no formal proposal had been made, her presence by Tommy’s side made it more than obvious. 

She touched the dress she had arrived from Dublin in, running her fingers down the smooth material. She hadn’t worn it since, but she’d moved it with some of her other clothes because she’d wanted it nearby. It had a sentimental value to her. 

She was getting ready for work, and she was thinking about the conversation that she’d had with Tommy that morning. He clearly thought something was afoot but he wasn’t letting on everything that he knew. It frustrated her that even after conversations they’d had about being honest, he still was holding stuff back. 

She couldn’t force him to tell her information that he didn’t want to. She was learning more and more about him as each day passed; when he was scared, or angry, he withdrew into himself. She shrugged and pulled her grey dress over her head, before putting her work boots on. She thought it might be busy tonight, it had been Uttoxeter races today, and the men would either be celebrating their betting wins, or drowning their sorrows. 

She started out of the bedroom and nearly ran headfirst into Arthur who was barreling down the stairs, hell for leather. 

‘What’s going on?!’ she asked of him, but he either didn’t hear her, or didn’t want to answer as he disappeared out of sight. Well, that was weird. 

She followed at a more sedate pace and found the house completely empty. She could hear the shop closing up next door, but the living quarters were devoid of any human presence. She shrugged it off as them all being busy. Tommy hadn’t told her that he was doing anything special today, but with the Shelby’s, you never really knew. 

She grabbed a piece of the bread that had been left on the table and spread it with jam. She sat down at the table, and pulled a paper that someone had been reading earlier towards her. There was nothing particularly out of the ordinary in there, except news that the Poplar docks were on strike, along with several other large industrial sites. Freddie would be pleased, if anybody knew where he was. Nobody had seen him or Ada for weeks. Arin knew Tommy was worried. He was not happy that Freddie hadn’t heeded his warning to get out of town, yet he wasn’t making a noise about it. If he did he would lose face. He wanted it done quietly. There had been no luck so far, however. 

Arin pushed the paper away from her. There was never anything good to read about in there. It was all bad news and gloom. Not that she wasn’t used to it, she was, but that didn’t mean she needed to read about it every day. 

She stood up and made for the door. She’d be at the pub a little early, but she could do some of the audit that Billy had started the last time she was in work. She wondered where everyone was once again, but she shrugged it off, and headed for the pub. 

**

She was right. The night was ridiculously busy. She had to open the door of the pub just to get some air going through the place it became so stuffy with all the bodies in the midsummer heat. She was rushed off her feet, and didn’t stop pulling pints for a good three hours. She was surprised that some of the lads could stand by the time they’d drunk down what they’d ordered. She changed the barrel on one of the pumps four times. The Irish Whisky was running low as well. John had come in at one point, seen how busy it was and left after one drink. He hadn’t even been able to speak to Arin over the racket. 

As it was getting towards closing time, a man with dark hair and a pronounced Adam’s apple walked in. He wasn’t a very large man, his suit seemed to drown him somewhat, but he had an air of menace about him that Arin could sense. 

‘What can I get you?’ she said as he approached the bar, putting his elbows on the shiny surface. 

‘Cordial’ he said bluntly, his eyes not leaving her face. 

She was slightly taken aback, in the months since she’d worked here she didn’t think anybody had ever asked for cordial. She turned towards the backbar and looked for the bottle. It was at the back of all the others, and was a little bit dusty from lack of use. She got a glass and put a little of the liquid into it before topping it up with water. She turned back, and then asked for thruppence to pay for it. She’d never really had to charge for it before, so didn’t know what to ask. He pushed the money across the bar and drunk the cordial in two gulps. It was extremely disconcerting because, even though Arin moved to serve others, his eyes never left her face or her back, whichever he could see. 

‘Can I help?’ she asked eventually, when he’d put the empty glass back on the bar, still looking at her. She set her shoulders, feeling uncomfortable. 

‘I just want to pass on a message’ he said, ‘Tell Thomas Shelby that I want to meet’ 

‘Who?’ she asked, trying to keep her face impassive. 

‘Don’t play stupid with me, girl. I know you are not stupid.,’ he said, his eyes dark. 

‘Who are you?’ she asked. 

‘That’s of no consequence, other than that Mr Shelby wants to meet with me’ he said, ‘Here, tomorrow morning’

‘Tell him yourself’ said Arin, nodding towards the door, where Tommy had just entered into the packed room. 

The man simply shook his head and turned away. He almost bumped into Tommy as he passed him on the way out. Arin saw Tommy pause for a second, frown, and then continue on towards her, cutting a path through the throngs of men. 

‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, as she watched him stow something in his jacket pocket. 

‘Nothing’ he said, with a shrug, lighting a cigarette and putting it between his lips, ‘You’ll need to stay at Freddie’s tonight. I’m going to be working late.’

She waited for some kind of explanation as to why. She’d shared his bed every night for the past week, it seemed odd that tonight, of all nights, he would ask her to stay away. He hadn’t told her anything was happening today. 

‘Okay’ she said, when no explanation was forthcoming. She couldn’t expect him to let her know everything, but equally he couldn’t expect to find her right where he left her either. She looked at him, but saw that his eyes were closed off, the way they had been a lot lately. She turned away, and went back to work. 

When she turned back towards where he had been stood a few moments later, he was gone. She tried to keep her annoyance off her face as she moved down the bar to serve. 

**

He was sat at his desk, only one lamp was lit and his small study was dim and gloomy. It was enough though for him to see what he was holding. Tommy turned the object over in his fingers, looking at the cool metal casing, tracing the etching that was imprinted upon the side. His hands were shaking slightly with anger. _Who would dare?_ Unfortunately, he already knew the answer to that. Deep down, in his heart of hearts, he knew who had given him the bullet with Arin’s name carved into the casing like a carving into flesh. It was in seconds that the man in the pub had bumped into him, pushing past him and shoving something into his hands at the same moment. And he knew what it meant. It was a threat. A threat to do as he was bid, or to suffer terrible consequences. 

His breath caught in the back of his throat. For the first time in a long time; he didn’t know what to do. Did he keep Arin close to him? Or was that putting her in more danger? Should he send her away, pretend that he didn’t care? The thought of not seeing her sent a stab of pain through him. She was one of the only good things in his life. His family was one, she was another. She’d been a constant when there had been only darkness. He couldn’t push her away now. Or was that simply selfishness on his part? Was his own desire clouding his judgement? 

Tommy huffed in annoyance and shoved the offending object in his desk draw as the door to the office opened. Standing in the doorway was Jonny Dogs, a white scarf tied around his neck. 

‘You ready to go?’ he asked 

‘Aye’ said Tommy, standing up and moving past the small Irishman in the doorway. 

‘You could at least say thank you, y’know’ said Jonny as they stepped out the house towards Tommy’s motor car, ‘It’s easier to see the fucking pope these days’ 

Despite himself, Tommy couldn’t help but crack a grin at that. He patted the man on the shoulder, ‘Come on Jonny, let’s see what damage we can do’ 

With that he climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. He felt a brief shiver of fear as they drove out of Small Heath. He was leaving Arin behind, but she would be safe tonight, surely? She was at her family’s house, with children around. Nobody would touch her there.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With huge thanks to Izzy03331, AndInWonderland, LilyDeer, KatieR, and LadyRedStar for their lovely comments. I hope you like this chapter!
> 
> Also, I'm beginning to play a bit fast and loose with the story's timeline, but that's only so I can fit in what I want to fit in. I hope nobody minds too much! 
> 
> xxx
> 
> V

Ch. 15

Tommy sat in the snug, the weight of the bullet heavy in his coat pocket. His outward visage was calm as he sat and waited, knowing that whoever he was waiting for would come through the door at any moment. It seemed strange to wait for someone when he didn’t know exactly who he was waiting for. He lit a cigarette to pass a few seconds, and took a deep drag on it, feeling the smoke swirl into his lungs. 

He hadn’t seen Arin that morning. He’d been to see the Lee family last night to try and come to some kind of agreement to stop this war. Whether it would stick remained to be seen. The way John had been lately troubled him. Tommy felt as if the walls were closing in, and ideas had been formulating in his brain. Ada was missing with her new husband, Freddie. Nobody knew where she was, or whether she was well. Tommy wasn’t even sure that he cared that she’d married that stuck-up dreamer, he just wanted to know she was safe. John was falling apart in front of his eyes; the engagement with Lizzie had fallen through, and he was turning from one bad decision to another. Arthur had been falling apart since he had come back from France, finding a friend in the bottle and in the sound of his fists hitting another’s flesh. Tommy didn’t care about that; it was useful. Yet still, he didn’t want his brother to completely fall to pieces. And now there was Arin; she was threatened. The walls were definitely closing in, and he felt like he was juggling so many things that one of them was sure to drop and shatter into a million pieces. He couldn’t afford to do that. People he cared about hung in the balance. Their lives, and ultimately, their deaths.

At that moment, the door to the snug opened and in walked the man with the prominent Adam’s apple, who’d walked into him the night before. The man who had given him the bullet. Tommy kept his face impassive, so the man couldn’t detect the seething anger behind his eyes. 

‘Drink?’ he asked as the man sat down. 

‘No’ he said, ‘I didn’t come here to drink’ 

‘What did you come here for then?’ asked Tommy, tapping ash off the end of his cigarette. 

‘A business deal,’ he said, ‘And information’ 

Tommy didn’t say anything, waiting for the man to elaborate what he meant. The man started to talk.

‘We have men who work at the BSA factory,’ he said, ‘Men who say there was a robbery a couple of months ago, and enough munitions were stolen to arm a troop. Apparently the Peaky Blinders have them.’ 

‘Men talk on a night shift’ said Tommy with a shrug. 

The man grinned with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, ‘I have men who work in the police office. They say it’s the Peaky Blinders what have them.’ 

‘Information can be misleading’ said Tommy, still being nonchalant, but he could feel the pulse in his wrist beating against the table. 

‘Your man Danny Owen talks a lot when he’s been drinking,’ said the Irishman, switching tack, ‘Said the Peaky Blinders have the guns, and enough belts of ammunition to hold up God’s trousers’ 

‘That sounds like our Danny’ said Tommy with a small smile despite himself. 

‘He said he’d seen them’ said the man. 

‘Danny also says he sees Germans around every corner’ said Tommy, ‘I wouldn’t believe everything he says’ 

The man sat back, and spread his hands in front of him. Tommy noticed that he had very spidery fingers; long, pale, and reaching. 

‘There’s been more of us around here for a while now Mr. Shelby’ said the man, ‘Men who have been looking out for opportunities. Initially there were three men who came. They came to this pub a few nights after the robbery to see if they could find out any information. They disappeared. No one knows what happened to them. It seems that they just vanished without a trace.’ 

Tommy clenched his fist under the table to stop himself from bristling. Three men? The same three men who had attacked Arin? It seemed extremely likely. Well, he knew exactly what had happened to them, and involved it them being buried in a shallow grave outside of the city. 

‘And then a few weeks ago, two men came in here to talk to you’ said the man, ‘Were they welcome here?’ 

‘Any man who buys beer is welcome here’ said Tommy with a shrug. 

‘Then they told you they were members of the Irish Republican Army, were they still welcome?’ whispered the man. 

‘As long as they came with good intentions’ said Tommy blankly. 

‘Later that night, one of those men ended up dead’ said the man, ‘You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?’ 

‘No’ said Tommy, not entirely honestly. 

‘You see, I don’t _care_ what sort of pikey organisation you’ve got going on here,’ said the man, ‘Trust me, I’ve represent a much bigger class of organisation. One of the three men who came in a few months ago was my brother. Now he’s missing, presumed dead. The man who ended up face down in the canal a few weeks ago, was my associate. You know how it is; family, and blood ties. These men were _very_ well connected. I control enough men to bring hell on earth to this little didicoy shithole you have going on here. I am judge, jury, and executioner. I deliver sentence and I find you guilty. You still sure you know nothing?’

Tommy paused a moment, considering the man’s animated face in front of him. He weighed up his words before speaking. He reached into the pack of cigarettes that was sitting on the table and lit up another one, to replace the one he’d stubbed out a few moments ago. 

‘I want to confess something to you’ he said eventually, ‘And only to you’ 

The Irishman waited expectantly, his breathing heavy. 

‘I have the guns’ said Tommy, his quick mind thinking faster than the words were spilling out of his mouth, ‘And they have become a burden to me. I would be willing to part with them. For the right price.’ 

The man nodded, considering his words. 

‘That’s the right decision Mr Shelby’ said the man, standing up and looking down at Tommy as he headed towards the door of the snug. Apparently now he had heard this, he had no further interest in prolonging the conversation. Tommy couldn’t say he was sorry.

‘We will be in touch to organise an exchange’ he said, his hand on the door handle. As he was about to leave he turned back, ‘Tell me, how is Arin?’ 

It took all of Tommy’s self-control not to leap up and cut the man a pretty pattern into his skin. 

‘Who wants to know?’ asked Tommy, a tiny quaver in his voice as his tone betrayed his anger. 

‘Some of my associates are merely interested in her welfare’ said the man, before opening the door, ‘Good day Mr. Shelby’ 

With that, the man left. It took a few seconds, but Tommy slowly unclenched the fist that had been curled up on his thigh. He’d been squeezing it so hard that his knuckles had gone white and his joints were sore as he relaxed the muscles. He closed his eyes momentarily, trying to calm down so that he could think clearly. He got a moment later; he was going to get Arin, and from now on, she wouldn’t leave his side. Despite what most people thought about his lack of empathy, with her it was different. She was a talisman of everything that was good in his life. She had stopped him losing his mind when he had been in hell. He couldn’t lose her

***

Arin watched Tommy over the next few days. He was unusually withdrawn. Tommy wasn’t one to display his emotions gratuitously anyway, but he was almost completely closed off. Not just to her, but to his brothers and to his family. It wasn’t as if he was shutting them out, it was as if he could hardly hear them most of the time. Aunt Pol voiced out loud at least once that she thought he was going soft in the head, just to see if she could get a reaction, but even that seemed to bypass Tommy’s notice.

It was early one morning, three days since this behaviour had started, and Arin was sitting at the breakfast table with Polly, Finn and John. Tommy had already left without a word. 

‘Has he said anything to you?’ asked Polly, looking at the closed front door through which Tommy had disappeared. 

‘No’ said Arin, ‘Yesterday and the night before I stayed with my family, it was only last night that I stayed here’ 

‘And even then?’ asked Polly, one eyebrow raised. 

‘Even then’ said Arin with a shrug. She didn’t add that they hadn’t even had sex which was unusual. She had tried to instigate it, but Tommy had simply held her, told her that he wasn’t in the mood, and turned out the light. She would’ve been hurt if it weren’t for the fact that his arms were tight around her waist, as if he were scared to let her go, and she registered that he was still awake as she drifted off. Despite his supposed tiredness and the darkness of the room, he’d simply held her and lay still. 

Polly shook her head and stirred her tea, before taking a sip, still looking after where Tommy had exited the room. 

‘Aren’t you on first shift with Lovelock this morning John?’ she asked, looking at her nephew who looked as if he was trying to keep himself awake at the table. 

‘Aye,’ said John, ‘I’ll go in a minute’ 

‘Oh, and in one of his rare moments of communication with us,’ said Polly, ‘Tommy said he wants to see you at noon, in the garage’ 

John nodded and stood up, heading towards the shop. 

‘Ima go find Bobby’ said Finn, and he also scarpered out, leaving Polly and Arin sitting in the room. 

‘I’m heading to the bath-house’ said Arin, ‘I’ve got a late shift tonight, so I thought I’d go before then’ 

Polly nodded, considering, ‘Do you go to the one on Greaves Road?’ 

Arin nodded. 

Polly paused, before standing up and heading to a small bureau in the corner. She turned around with a letter in her hand, ‘It’s a long shot, but sometimes Ada goes to that bath-house. If you see her, will you give her this?’ 

Arin nodded, ‘Do you still not know where she is?’ 

Polly shook her head, ‘No, but you know about the note she sent?’ 

‘What note?’ asked Arin, confused, Tommy hadn’t told her about any note. 

‘Tommy didn’t tell you?’ Polly asked, ‘Ada and Freddie were married last week’ 

Arin’s jaw dropped, ‘What?’

Polly nodded, her face grave. 

‘I knew they thought about it, but I didn’t know they’d just do it’ Arin said. 

‘Aye,’ said Polly, ‘It’s good, because at least the child won’t be labelled a bastard. But Tommy told Freddie to leave the city. Which he’s obviously not done.’

Arin nodded, biting her lip, ‘If I see her, I’ll pass on the message’

***

In the end Arin didn’t see Ada, but she did speak to someone who said they had seen her. They didn’t talk any further, other than to conclude that Ada looked well the last time the woman had seen her. She didn’t fill in anymore details about the Shelby family, almost 100% certain that Polly wouldn’t appreciate it. 

She didn’t have time to go back to the house before heading to work, so she got ready at the bathhouse. Today she was wearing a blue dress; one that Tommy had bought for her about a month ago. She had been surprised when he’d shown up with the dress, even more so that he’d actually bought one at the height of fashion. He just shrugged and told her that that’s what he’d asked for. She should’ve known; ‘cause whatever Thomas Shelby asked for, he got. 

She headed to the pub. The street was busy as the men at the furnace worked their shift. The blacksmith was firing up his furnace so it was belching out hot fume into the street. Most of the men by the coal heap were shirtless and covered in grime. They probably wouldn’t be able to get their skin completely clean when they got home tonight. Their fingernails had probably been ingrained with grime since they started in the job and would never be clean again. 

She pushed open the back door of the pub and walked in. It was quiet inside. Even the clanking of the huge mill couldn’t be heard in here. It was as if the tumultuous world of Small Heath didn’t exist when she was in here before the doors opened. It was quiet, and deceptively peaceful. She dropped her small bag behind the backbar and got to work and cleaning up. She wondered whether she’d see Tommy tonight. He hadn’t asked whether she would stay that night, so she didn’t know whether she would be sleeping by his side, or whether he wanted her to go home and stay with her family. 

She felt a shiver of annoyance that she was waiting on Tommy’s say so as to her own sleeping arrangements. Especially when he had been so distant over the past few days. She knew it was because there was a lot on his mind at the moment, and there was something going on that he wasn’t telling her. Maybe tonight he would finally let her in. 

Her shift was busy, so her thoughts were kept far from Tommy for most of the night. It was only later that night when she was left alone did he come barrelling back into her consciousness, in a very literal sense. 

She had headed over to the door to lock up, when just as her hand went to the latch, Tommy had burst in, nearly knocking her into the wall. 

‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, recovering herself, reaching for the latch again. 

‘No,’ said Tommy, ‘Leave that open’ 

‘What’s going on?’ she asked, trying again. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a revolver. Arin’s breath caught in her throat. Anything that involved a revolver could not be good. 

‘At the chime of St Andrew’s bell’ said Tommy, pushing bullets into the chamber of the gun, ‘Two men are going to come through that door.’

‘At midnight?’ said Arin, watching him check and prime the weapon. 

‘Midnight is as good a time as any’ said Tommy, ‘They’re here to conduct business with me. And when they’re done, they mean to kill me’ 

Arin couldn’t help but let out a gasp, as though she had been punched in the gut. Tommy looked at her, his blue eyes blazing into hers, fierce and scared. She'd never seen Tommy scared before in her life, and it terrified her more than any thought of who the men might be. Tommy took her by the shoulders and kissed her hard on the mouth, his lips were hard and insistent, as if has trying to find courage in his kiss. He broke away and looked down at her. 

‘It’s your job to stop that from happening’


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long! 
> 
> I've been insanely busy that I just haven't had time to sit and write. I hope you like it! 
> 
> V
> 
> xx

Ch. 16,

There’s a minute. A minute when everything slows down and it seems like each second takes forever to tick by. Arin looked at the clock on the wall, it’s second hand thudding around the face, echoing a dull drumbeat around the enclosed space that seemed to fill her ears. She wasn’t sure whether her heart was matching the rhythm of the clock, or whether it had stopped entirely, and she was only aware of the tick of time. 

She was leaning against the wall in the corridor, the door nearly closed in front of her. It was the door that led to the bar. It was ajar by the tiniest of silvers, so she could just see the back of Tommy’s head where he sat, his body utterly still, his eyes facing towards the door. He was sitting alone, waiting, as the chime of the St Andrews bell cascaded through the building once again. 

The door opened and two men walked in. Arin recognised both of them. The first had been to the pub before, with the man who’d died in the canal. The second was the man with the prominent Adam’s apple, who’d told her to organise a meeting with Tommy. He moved with an intensity and purpose, as if confident of his right to threaten the lives of lesser men. They didn’t say anything as they sat down, ignoring the whisky that had been laid on the table in front of them. They began to talk, allowing Tommy a few words here on there. Arin couldn’t hear what they were saying, their voices were muffled by the still air of the taproom. She watched as Tommy held up a piece of paper, showing them – supposedly – where the guns were hidden. 

She could definitely feel her heartbeat now, hard against her rib cage. It was thudding at hundred miles an hour, pouring adrenaline through her veins. Fight or flight. Her body preparing for the ultimate struggle. These men had come here to kill Tommy. To take the one thing away from her that had filled her life with colour. When she’d lived in Dublin she’d always thought she’d have a straightforward life; a path had been set out for her. Yes, her father had loved her dearly, but he’d never imagined anything for her outside of the normal. Tommy didn’t imagine anything normal; he had never desired her to stay put, a little woman at home. He brought riotous splashes of colour into a place that was grey, and frayed at the edges. Sometimes the colour was red, the colour of blood, or of danger, but it took her breath away nonetheless. 

Her chest constricted as she saw the man on the left draw a weapon, and point it directly at Tommy. It was this moment, this moment where everything that mattered to her hung in the balance. She clicked the hammer down on her own weapon, hardly daring to breathe. Tommy had said just stand and point. Stand and point. But this man was threatening her other half. The part of her that made her whole. She hadn’t realised it until now, but since she’d left Dublin she’d had a hole in her life, and Tommy had somehow begun to fill it, piece by piece. 

She watched as Tommy raised his glass, almost in slow motion it seemed. His words echoed over the room, the first she’d heard distinctly. 

_‘To barmaids who don’t count’_

That was it. That was the signal. Those words spilled out of Tommy’s mouth into the still air in front of him. Arin pushed upon the door to the taproom, stepping forward, her boots clicking on the floor. She saw the men in front of Tommy pause for a split second, and look up to see who had entered the room. It was if a surge of energy went through her body, from the very core of her through to her hands which held the gun. Her fingertip which was on the trigger. And she fired. The man holding the gun fell back instantly with a bullet hole in his forehead. He hadn’t even had time to defend himself. 

There was an explosion of movement as Tommy leapt up, throwing the table at the other man who’d also drawn a weapon. The glasses and bottle which had been on the surface shattered in a shower of glass and a smash of noise. He used the split second of chaos to grab the man’s wrist, pointing the gun away from himself but also from Arin. It misfired towards the ceiling, causing a spray of plaster to come tumbling down. 

Her hands shook as she tried to aim the weapon again, but the fight was moving too much, and she might hit Tommy. She couldn’t get a clear shot as they moved around, wrestling for a dominant position. They lurched towards her, Tommy still grappling with the hand that held the gun. She was trying to aim as they slid along the bar, glasses smashing every which way. She tried to step out of the way, but she saw something fly in her direction as they cascaded towards her, and something sharp and heavy hit her temple. She wasn’t sure whether it had been an arm, a leg, a hand or what. Perhaps it had been the edge of the gun. She fell to the ground, her own gun skittering out of her grip. She was dazed and her head swam, her vision roiling before her as she tried to get a grip on reality. She could hear the sounds of the fight still going on, but she couldn’t piece together who was winning or losing as the floor lurched. She could hear one of the men drawing horrible rattling breaths, struggling to breath as the other suffocated the life out of him. She tried to sit up, and her stomach heaved as she fought down the urge to vomit. Her vision was still hazy as she heard someone let out a cry of pain. Her vision focused somewhat as she saw Tommy sitting on top of his assailant, his face red, his pupils blown with effort, his hair sticking to his face. He was braced on the man’s chest as the other tried to throw him off, knowing it was either this or death. Tommy was an angel of death, here to deliver the judgement the other man had threatened him with. 

He hit the man in the face twice, and the man’s nose exploded under the pressure of Tommy’s fist, blood spraying everywhere. The man let out a garbled groan of pain. Then Tommy reached for one of the empty slop buckets by the bar; a heavy bronze pot, and hit the man again, once, twice, twenty times, until his head and face was a bloody messy pulp. Arin couldn’t help but watch, her eyes fixed on the horror before her. Tommy was a man possessed. A man driven to kill. He’d been pushed over the edge by the memory of a darker moment, a time when he’d been in hell. That memory had filled him and he’d struck back at it, to drive it back down to the devil. 

Arin couldn’t believe she’d witnessed that brutality. Yet she knew that they’d come here to kill Tommy. It was destroy, or be destroyed. She’d also killed a man. She’d killed a man who hadn’t even seen it coming. She felt sick again as she thought about it, but also a strange surge of power went through her. There was silence in the room, other than Tommy’s heavy breathing. 

He dropped the bucket with a clang, leaving a blood stain where it rolled, and got shakily to his feet. He moved over to her and helped her up, his hand touching her face. It was only then that she was aware she was bleeding from a cut near her eye. It was dribbling down her face in a track towards her chin. Tommy wiped a bead of blood away with his thumb. 

‘Why did you shoot Arin?’ he asked hoarsely, gripping her face, ‘Why did you shoot?’ 

‘I don’t know’ she whispered, ‘I didn’t know I had it in me like that’ 

He let out a shuddering breath and held her close so that she could put her head on his shoulder. She could feel his racing heart beating under his coat. She wanted to melt into him, to feel safe within him forever. 

‘Now you’ve seen all me’ he breathed out. 

She realised it was true. She’d seen his naked strength, aggression, fear, his passion, and his drive. He’d watched her murder a man, and she’d watched him kill another. They’d seen the deepest parts of the other. There was no place to hide now.

The door opened and three policemen walked in, wearing rain capes over their black uniforms. Sergeant Moss was in the lead, followed by two men that Arin didn’t recognise.

‘Where were you?’ Tommy said hoarsely, turning to face them, ‘You were supposed to come on the sixth chime! The sixth fucking chime!’ 

The policemen didn’t answer, but Sgt Moss looked down at the two dead men on the floor, as if he was looking at something merely interesting.

‘They died well they were brave men’ said Tommy, leaning back against the bar, his sweat darkened hair was plastered to his forehead. Sgt Moss stepped closer, looked down at the mess that had been the IRA man’s face only moments before. 

‘Well ‘e looks like he was killed by fucking wild animal’ he said, leaning towards Tommy, ‘Not that it matters. They were never ‘ere.’

‘Just get rid of the bodies’ said Tommy through a clenched jaw, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. 

‘Why? Are they upsetting the lady?’ scoffed Sgt Moss, his eyes flicking towards Arin, who was standing by the edge of the bar, hugging her arms across her body. She was ignoring the blood flowing down the side of her face. 

‘Just do it’ hissed Tommy, before turning away, ‘Come on Arin’ 

Tommy took her arm, and she heard Sgt Moss scoff as he led her towards the back room. It was dark, the space was quiet. It wasn’t used in the normal day-to-day running of the bar, so dust lay about, muffling noise. She stepped back into Tommy’s arms, and it was at the moment that she cried. She despised herself for being so weak, but she couldn’t stop as she shook in Tommy’s strong grip. He didn’t say anything; his chin was resting on the top of her head. Then she felt a drop fall onto her forehead. He was crying too. She had never ever seen Tommy cry, and she didn’t presume to look now. It was if she was privy to an extremely private moment, and she didn’t want to disturb him at the moment of his vulnerability. She’d just watched him a kill man, and yet right now he seemed so much more fragile. As if one wrong move would break him. 

Tommy stepped back a moment later. His face showed no sign of tears other than that his eyes were slightly red. He looked down at her, his eyes had got a deep fathomless look to them, the blue almost black in the darkness of the room. 

‘You’ve seen all of me’ he said, repeating his earlier words. 

She didn’t speak, just nodded, her hands still resting on his arms. He breathed in for a moment, seeming to weigh his next words before he spoke. 

‘Marry me?’ he said. 

Whatever she’d been expecting his next words to be, it wasn’t that. She looked at him, slightly astounded. A second ticked by. 

‘What, when?’ she asked, her throat dry. 

‘Right now,’ he said, ‘Tonight.’ 

His eyes were dark and intense, searching hers like headlights of a car on a dark night. Another second.

‘Yes,’ she breathed, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you.’


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Sorry it's been so long, but I've been insanely busy over the past few weeks. I've started a new job and helped my friend move house - it's all been a bit crazy. Did you see though, they've started filming Peaky Season 4 in Liverpool?! So excited! 
> 
> Anyway, huge thank you to PeakedInterest, SmuttyFanFiction, LydiaOhLydia, AdharaSnow, Calauh, LadyRedStar, SallyKaroline, Awktavia, AndiInWonderland and Izzy0331. Your feedback is what keeps me writing! 
> 
> XO  
> V

Ch. 17

Arin grabbed Tommy’s hand as he strode out of the pub doors, pushing them open roughly, making them bang in the wooden doorframe. 

‘Tommy,’ she said, pulling him back, ‘Tommy!’

Tommy stopped, turning around to look at her. 

‘What is it?’ he asked, his eyes aflame. 

She paused, cowed somewhat by the intense look on his face. She’d seen him look intense before. Intense with desire, or need, or drive, but this seemed like a mixture of all three. 

‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ she asked softly, ‘That it isn’t just the adrenaline talking?’ 

Tommy looked down at her, his jaw clenched tight, his hair was still sticking to his forehead from the sweat of earlier. Now it was being mingled with the rain that was pouring down on them. Neither of them were perturbed by the water, even though Arin could feel it running down the collar of her dress. Her long red hair was plastered to her body, and had turned dark as the rain soaked through it. 

‘Yes, it’s true,’ said Tommy quietly, his hands holding both her shoulders, ‘My blood is running high. Trust me when I say this though, _I want this_. I want you. You kept me sane when there was no one else there for me. You found me. And I found you.’ 

Arin looked up at him, seeing the truth in his eyes as she searched. She nodded slowly. 

‘If you won’t believe those words,’ he said, ‘Believe this’ 

Then he kissed her. A deep kiss that seemed to search down into her soul. He drew her body towards him, closing down any space in between them. His lips were soft and demanding against hers. She could feel the beginnings of stubble on his chin, as he hadn’t shaved since the morning before. His hands drifted around her back, holding her close and tight, she could feel his heartbeat in his fingertips as one hand rested against the back of her neck. She felt his desire, but also the truth of the words that he’d spoken before; he’d meant it. He’d found her, and somehow, she’d appeared to him. She didn’t normally believe in such things as fate. She didn’t really believe in God, and she knew that Tommy certainly didn’t – his love of God had died on the fields in France – so therefore it seemed silly to set much store by fate. Yet, maybe that’s what this was. 

‘Do you believe me?’ asked Tommy as they broke apart, his forehead resting on hers. 

Arin nodded, slightly speechless, ‘Yes, I believe you’ 

‘Come on then’ he said, taking her hand again and pulling her onwards. 

‘Where are we going?’ she asked, not knowing entirely what he was plan was. 

‘Trust me’ he said, as they hurried down a side street in the rain, their boots splashing in the puddles created by the sudden deluge. This ginnel cut through to Watery Lane, and the house of the Shelby family. Tommy didn’t stop at his own home though, he went a few down the lane, to John’s door. He tried his hand on the latch and it opened, without even bothering to knock. Tommy made a noise in the back of his throat. 

‘I’ve told John to keep this locked’ he said under his breath. Arin couldn’t help but smile, even at a moment like this; he found a space to be exasperated with his little brother. 

He pushed the door open and they stepped inside. The house was a tip. Even with the extra help that John had managed to take on recently, the four children who shared his house managed to turn the place upside down on a daily basis. There was leftover food on the small table, several newspapers had been scribbled on with charcoal sticks that had been stamped into the floor by pattering feet. The kids were asleep at the moment, however, and Tommy put his finger to his lips. He motioned for Arin to stay in the small entrance hall as he went upstairs. John would be asleep, and to have both of them startle him whilst he was unawares would probably be unwise. 

Arin stood in the quiet dark, wondering. Her night had gone from normal to insanity in the space of an hour. A glance at the small clock on the fireplace told her it was nearly one AM. It had been almost an hour since she’d killed a man. Only one hour had passed and yet it seemed like a detached moment in another lifetime. She remembered his body, splayed back in the chair where he’d been sat. The police were going to deal with the scene; she imagined there wouldn’t be a scrap of evidence that it had ever happened the next time she set foot in the pub. She wondered if Tommy would tell Billy what had happened. 

She heard a noise from upstairs and imagined that John had nearly jumped out of his skin when Tommy strode into his bedroom into the middle of night. There was a few moments of quiet until Arin heard two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs, one trailing after the after. 

John appeared behind Tommy, looking dishevelled and rubbing his tired eyes. He was pulling up his braces and then his jacket on over the top to make him look like he hadn’t just rolled out of bed. 

‘Arin?’ asked John surprised, spotting her in the dark room. Whatever he expected when Tommy had come to get him, it hadn’t involved her. She nodded in his direction. He bent down to tie his laces on his boots which he hadn’t managed to do upstairs. 

‘Are you going to tell me what the fuck is going on yet Tommy?’ asked John.

‘Yes,’ said Tommy, ‘But first we’re going to find Jeremiah, or rather you are’ 

John looked surprised but didn’t protest as they headed out of the house and back into the rain. It hadn’t abated any since they’d been in the house. 

‘Fuck it’s grim out tonight, Tommy’ said John, turning his collar up on his coat, to try and prevent some of the water sneaking down the collar of shirt. 

‘Go on John,’ said Tommy. John didn’t say another word, but hurried away towards Jeremiah’s shoebox church to find the pastor. He wouldn’t be out preaching at this time of night. 

Tommy took Arin’s hand and squeezed. He pulled her towards him, so that she could curl into his side. He stopped walking for a moment, turning towards her. She leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips before he could open his mouth to speak. He nodded in understanding, before they continued along the dark street after John. It didn’t take long to reach the church at the bottom of the road. When they entered it was empty and almost completely dark inside, apart from the perpetual candle burning on the altar, adding a flickering aura to the gloom. 

A few moments later a small door opened at the back of the room and John and Jeremiah entered the room. Jeremiah looked sleepy but was trying to be alert when he knew was dealing with the Shelby family. They were friends, but that still didn’t mean he could afford to relax. 

‘What’s going on Tommy?’ he asked, his speech had the edges of sleepiness but he was trying to pull himself together. 

‘I want you to marry us Jeremiah’ said Tommy, ‘Right now, and John’s going to witness’ 

John’s jaw dropped the floor. He struggled to pair his lower jaw with its twin whilst Jeremiah digested what Tommy had just said. He looked at Arin and then back at Tommy but neither of them offered any extra explanation. 

‘No banns have been read’ said Jeremiah. It wasn’t a protest, it was just a statement that he made. 

Tommy just shook his head, ‘We’ll be handfast tonight, the rest is up to you’ 

Jeremiah nodded, ‘I’ll post the banns tomorrow’ 

Tommy turned to Arin, ‘Is that alright?’ 

Arin nodded. It didn’t matter what happened for now onwards, Tommy wanted to marry her. She had found him, and he had found her. That was all that mattered. The trappings that came with it were fairly inconsequential. Arin knew that being handfast wasn’t recognised in the eyes of the law, but for people from her heritage, and for Tommy’s family, it was more than enough. 

‘Alright’ said Jeremiah, ‘Let me just get my things’ 

Tommy nodded, as Jeremiah hurried towards the back of the church. 

‘Tommy, what are you thinking?’ hissed John, ‘Polly will do her fucking nut!’ 

‘It doesn’t matter’ said Tommy, ‘Things have changed John’ 

John looked as if he might argue, but a look from Tommy made him close his mouth and stand by the front pew, his hands clasped in front of him. Jeremiah reappeared wearing his stole and carrying his bible. Tommy took Arin’s hand again, brought to his lips and kissed it, his eyes searching hers, looking for any hint of doubt. He didn’t find any. She matched his look, her green eyes unblinking into blue. He nodded, and drew he towards the altar. He removed his cap, and knelt on the cushion by Jeremiah’s feet. She did the same. Jeremiah opened the bible and began to speak. 

It was strange, Arin thought as she knelt beside him. If anyone had asked what her wedding was going to be like, she would never have envisaged it like this, in the depths of the night, with only one man to witness. And yet it didn’t matter, none of it mattered. Tonight, something had changed, it was as if the magnetic attraction that had drawn them together had ceased to see them as two different halves. They’d saved each other’s lives and found each other. She looked across at Tommy as Jeremiah spoke, the edge of his sharp chiselled jaw, and his beautiful eyes staring raptly ahead. He was _hers_. He wanted her from the moment he’d seen her, even though she hadn’t known it at the time, and since then they’d been on a crash course with this destination.

Jeremiah asked her a question, something about loving Tommy ‘til death did they part. She answered that she would, and he motioned that he would do the same. Tommy took her hand, and put his other one on top of it. Then Jeremiah motioned the sign of the cross over their clasped hands and intoned some further words. 

‘Now John must mingle the bloods’ said Jeremiah, knowing this was a key part of a ceremony for the Shelby’s and others of gypsy heritage. He could have nothing to do with it, however, as a man of the cloth. John approached and taking Tommy’s hand he cut a thin line in his wrist with the switchblade he kept in his pocket. He then did the same for Arin, and she suppressed a hiss of pain. Tommy pressed his wrist against hers, mingling the red viscous substance together. 

‘Two bloods become one’ muttered Tommy as John fished in his pocket for a handkerchief. He passed that one to Arin, and Tommy used one of his own to wrap his wrist. It wouldn’t take very long to stop bleeding; it wasn’t a deep cut. Tommy looked back at the pastor to continue what he was doing. 

‘I now pronounce you man and wife in the eyes of the lord and this witness’ said Jeremiah, blessing them both, with a twinkle to his eye, ‘You may kiss your wife, Tommy’ 

Tommy turned to her then, took her chin between his fingers, titled her face towards his and kiss her very softly. His mouth was gently on her lips, kissing her as if she was extremely delicate, and might break under a harder touch. 

He broke away a moment later, his mouth only centimetres from hers, ‘I love you’ 

She nodded, ‘I love you too’ 

It seemed completely unnecessary to say so, but even as the words left her mouth they seemed special, and she realised that this was the first time she’d actually said it. It seemed so odd to her that she couldn’t help but break a grin. The first time she’d actually told this man she loved him was after she married him. She’d known it for a long time that he was the one who completed her, and she thought that he’d probably been a little bit in love with her since he’d found her photo in the bottom of a trench when it had fluttered from her father’s pocket. 

Tommy helped her up off her knees and for good measure kissed her again, his mouth curling into a smile against her mouth. 

‘You do realise that Polly’s going to make you do this again, don’t you?’ said John approaching them, ‘There’s no way that she’s going to let you get away with this’ 

Tommy smiled, ‘I know, but right now… right now it doesn’t matter’ 

John nodded and reached into his pocket to get money out to pay Jeremiah. Jeremiah pushed his money away; a prudent move on the part of the pastor. 

‘So Tommy,’ said John, his eyebrows high, a wide grin on his face, ‘It’s your wedding night..!’ 

Tommy couldn’t help but smirk at his brother’s exuberance and pre-empted his question, ‘I’ve got somewhere’ 

Arin smirked as he took her hand again. She wondered where he was going to take her. 

‘Right now, fuck off’ said Tommy, ‘And don’t breathe a word to Polly’ 

‘She’ll be able to tell’ said John immediately, ‘She’ll know I’m hiding something’ 

‘Yes probably’ said Tommy, ‘But don’t fucking tell her. We’ll tell her tomorrow. Just avoid her until then’

John nodded, looking doubtful about this plan. Arin too, had her doubts. Polly was able to tell when there was a hair out of place in the Shelby household, and John had never been very good at keeping secrets. His face was as open as a book. 

‘And Jeremiah’ said Tommy, ‘Don’t post the banns until Friday’ 

Jeremiah, who’d been standing near the altar, nodded, ‘Unless there’s anything else for you Tommy, I’m going to turn in’ 

Tommy nodded, ‘There’s nothing else Jeremiah’ 

Jeremiah turned to go quickly, before he could be called back for some other service. John left as well with a cigarette between his lips, his hands shoved in his pockets, and a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. 

Tommy took her hand then, and they followed John out of the shoebox church. It had stopped raining in the time that they’d been inside. Arin couldn’t quite believe the speed of the night’s events. And the speed at which she’d acquiesced to Tommy’s request to marry her. It had a certain inevitability about it. This man filled every part of her vision in front of her; it seemed nonsensical that she would say no. 

‘Come on then’ said Tommy, pulling her down the street. 

It wasn’t the most romantic proposal she’d ever heard, but she couldn’t help but giggle as he led her away down the darkened lane, towards her entirely unconventional wedding night.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

‘Just stand there’ said Tommy, taking a step away from her, his hands leaving her sides. 

Arin couldn’t help but blush, slightly confused, ‘What, why?’

Tommy sat down on the edge of the bed, wearing only his underwear, ‘Because I want to look at you’ 

She blushed even deeper at that, the colour suffusing from her cheeks down to the top of her neck, creating a spread of warmth along her clavicle. She was entirely naked, and Tommy eyes raking around her body were making the blush spread all the more. She dithered a little on the spot, unsure of how to hold herself. She was deeply aware as his eyes travelled from her face, down to her breasts, across the flat planes of her stomach, to her legs and to the space in between. 

‘You’re so beautiful’ he murmured, almost to himself, his eyes soft as a spring sky. He stood up then, and took her hand, standing just in front of her, their bodies not quite touching. He kissed her softly on the mouth, and then turned her around, her back to his chest. She could feel his warmth on her skin, and the beginnings of his erection in his pants, hard against her arse. 

‘Tommy, what are you doing?’ she whispered, a little giggle on the edge of her mouth, as he kissed her neck. In answer his hands slid up the sides of her arms, ghosting gently across her the top of her shoulders, before he held a piece of soft material in front of her as a question. She tried to twist to look at him, but his position kept her looking firmly away. 

‘Trust me,’ he whispered in her ear. She nodded; she did trust him. His hands came up and he tied the soft material around her eyes. She could still the light from the lamp on the bedside table, but all other vision was stolen from her. She gasped hotly as Tommy’s lips found their way back to her neck, gently kissing, biting and sucking. Her breath was coming in hot slow gasps, as she wondered what he was going to do next. She felt a little bit at a loss; she couldn’t see, and he wasn’t letting her turn towards him. His hands were still mapping her body, travelling across inches of skin, making her feel his calloused fingertips along her ribs, her hips, her thighs; areas which she’d never thought of as erotic before, and yet now, his touch was making her legs shake. His hand twisted in her hair, massaging the base of her skull, which sent tingles shooting down her spine, making warmth pool between her thighs. 

She was moved backwards by his guiding hand and her knees hit the bed as she was forced to sit. The coverlet was soft under her fingers, and the backs of her thighs. He was still standing above her, she sensed, and he used the angle to wrap his hand in the hair at the base of her neck and pull her head backwards, bringing his mouth down onto hers again for a deeper kiss, demanding that she answer him with her own passion. She couldn’t help but let out a little whimper as his kiss trailed from her open mouth, down her jawline and to her neck, where he sucked and nipped at the skin, surely leaving teeth marks. She gasped hotly against him as his lips made love to the flesh on her neck. 

He pushed her back onto the bed, making it clear she should bring her legs up as well. She was aware of him kneeling either side of her legs, leaning down as he continued his journey around her body. He’d never been this slow before, usually there was always a kind of urgency about his lovemaking, but tonight they had all the time they wanted. They’d just made vows for forever, what did taking their time matter now? He traced the curve of her breast with his palm, causing her to arch up into slightly, to encourage him to further action. His thumb very gently passed over the sensitive nipple, and although already tight, it stiffened further to his touch, perky against the warm air of the room. He squeezed gently with his hand and then brought his mouth to her nipple, sucking lightly, causing a dart of pleasure to hook down within her, making her let out a breathy moan in response, she arched her back slightly pressing up towards his mouth, demanding more. She was forcing herself to not tear the blindfold off to see what he was doing. He moved to kiss the other breast, tracing his tongue down the valley between them. He palmed one whilst sucked, licking and biting gently at the other. When he used his teeth slightly on the soft underskin of her breast she let out a little gasp and a breathy moan, as the sharp feeling travelled around her nervous system. He licked over the offended area with his tongue, and then bit again. She moaned again, the feeling heading straight to that place at the centre of her being. 

‘Tommy’ she whined, her fingers curling in the still slightly rain-damp locks of the hair on the back of his neck. She didn’t know what she was trying to tell him to do, but this teasing was driving her crazy. The soft sensations were making her want _more_. Whether that meant his fingers, mouth, or his cock, her befuddled mind wasn’t entirely sure. 

‘Tommy, _please_ … touch me’ she moaned, opening her thighs just to illustrate the point. She felt him grin against her skin, before his hand slid down towards her naval, stopping on the soft skin of her lower belly. Her hips rose as his hand snaked lower, and she let out a quiet growl as he paused again on the skin of her inner thigh. The growl turned into a moan as his thumb moved to her centre of pleasure, dancing over the place of a thousand nerves. Her hips rose towards his movement, urging him to continue. 

‘God Tommy,’ she gasped, ‘Please let me see you’ 

‘No,’ he said softly, before his thumb was replacing by his tongue and she completely lost it. One arm was thrown across her face as body contorted with pleasure. His hands traced lower and she gasped out loud as he pushed two fingers into her body. Her thighs fell open completely, laying her utterly at his mercy and his will. The fact she couldn’t see him was heightening all her other senses, and the dual feeling of his tongue on her clit and two fingers curled inside of her was making her see stars. His free hand curled around the outside of her thigh, pulling her hips up, but also controlling her movements. The sensations were almost too much for her, and she felt half a need to pull away, even as she was pressing herself closer. 

‘Fuck, fuck, fuck’ she whimpered, as the intense sensations curled higher. Her legs were shaking and her toes curled as she fell over the edge of bliss. Her shriek of joy got stuck in her throat as she shook with pleasure. The next second her blindfold was untied and she was looking into the flaming blue eyes of her husband. They looked like the street lamps lit by the gas man on a night, the searing heat of the combustible gas sparking the normally orange flame to a fiery blue. His chest was heaving as he looked down at her. There was a pause as she observed him, an Adonis, carved from marble, sitting astride her naked body. He reached down and unbuttoned his underwear, the hard line of his cock visible against the material. He kicked his underwear off and then moved between her legs, resting his weight on his forearms either side of her chest. She reached down to guide him to her wetness, his breathing hitched as she touched his cock. Then he moved her hand away and she felt the very tip of him touch her. 

‘Please, Tommy’ she moaned. 

His eyes demanded she say it again. 

‘ _Please_ Tommy… please fuck me’ she said, feeling the head of his cock breach her body slightly. His self control was incredible as he let her feel every inch of him as he pushed forward, her warmth encasing him. His hips came to rest against hers, skin to skin. He kissed her deeply, his tongue dancing with hers, as she felt him rock slightly, not moving much. He pulled back and out of her. She whined again. She’d only had the beginnings of what she needed, and she wanted more. And he knew it. He knew her body was begging him to take her. He grinned mischievously as he watched her almost come undone without him even touching her. 

‘Oh fuck!’ she couldn’t help but groan, as already super sensitive, he thrust deeply inside of her in one quick motion. He didn’t ease in, or take his time, but buried himself to the hilt in one slick motion. He held one of her legs over his shoulder, the other leg hung by his side as he thrust hard, again and again, his breath hot and quick as he took his own pleasure, after giving her hers, feeling the waves of her pleasure still tightening around him. She could feel very inch of him against her, as she pulled at his hair. Her breath was coming out in short gasps, hot against his neck, his chest, his mouth. The leg that was over his shoulder was almost pressed flat to her chest, and he had access to the deepest parts of her, making her huff out her pleasure as he fucked her hard. All the gentleness of earlier was gone, and his wild animalistic need to take her, to claim her, was there instead. 

‘Arin, fuck’ he murmured, ‘Urgh, you’re tight’ 

She moaned, feeling hyper sensitive, her walls clamping around his hard cock, she purposefully tightened around each thrust as he pushed in, causing him to groan and hang his head at the sensation. His skin was radiating heat as he fucked her deeply, with long smooth strokes, the sound of skin meeting skin. 

‘Ahh… ahhh’ she moaned as he withdrew for half second, the head of his cock just touching her, teasing her, before thrusting back into her, reaching areas of her that she didn’t think was possible. 

‘Oh god, Arin, jesus fucking christ’ he said, his voice cracking as he moved against her, his hand reaching between them to rub her clit again. It was so intense she felt like she was going to explode into a million pieces. She tightened around him, with each thrust, meeting him again and again. His skin was no longer cool from the rain, as it had been when they first came in here; it was hot, and damp from his exertion and delight. His blue eyes rolled back into his head as he groaned with the sexiest noise she had ever heard. She reached up and gripped the back of his neck, pulling him to her into a searing kiss, as the feeling deep within her exploded and she came undone, her orgasm shattering through her body, causing her to tighten around him, providing him with a delightfully exquisite and unbearable friction. 

‘Fuck Arin, gonna cum’ he half garbled, his hands tight on her hips, as his mind deserted him and his body took over. He thrust once, twice, three times more, pushing deeply into her, his whole body going rigid as he spilled himself inside her, his chest heaving as came. He collapsed on top of her a few seconds later, his eyes closed, his breathing fast. 

Her leg gently moved from its position and curled softly around his hip. She let a smile touch the edges of her lips as her own breathing returned somewhat to normal and she looked down at her husband. He opened his eyes a moment later, his head still resting on her chest. 

‘Well Mrs Shelby,’ he said, ‘That was a fairly auspicious way to make this marriage official’ 

She couldn’t help but laugh at his choice of wording, ‘Oh Tommy!’ 

He grinned sleepily, before pulling out of her and lying down beside her. Him vacating her body left her feeling empty. She rolled onto her front, leaning on his chest to look down at him. His eyes were still closed. She put her head on his chest, she could hear the thumping of his heart, pumping lifegiving blood around his body. His hand ideally stroked at her hair. There was silence, only broken by the sound of their breathing, and the tick of the clock winding away minutes.

‘This is everything’ he murmured eventually. 

‘What is,’ she asked, looking up at him, ‘Sex?’ 

He shook his head against the pillow, ‘No, this. What I feel for you, what you make me feel, what you give to me.’ 

He licked his lips, but she didn’t speak, sensing he wasn’t finished. 

‘There’s nothing more than to love people and to have people love you,’ he said softly, ‘None of it matters except that. Making the best for your family, and love. That’s what life is. The rest of it is just trappings and shit.’

She nodded against his chest, listening as the words tumbled out of his mouth. 

‘I’ve had both,’ he said, ‘Life and death. This is life. You bring me life, let me feel, add a little bit more to me than there was before. France was death. There are no words to describe death, other than a choke inside your chest that you cannot get rid of. That won’t ever leave. It winds its way around your ‘eart, choking the life away.’ 

He'd never really spoken too much about France before, it defied words for the most part. 

‘Do you know what they used to say about tunnelers?’ he asked. She shook her head. 

‘They used to say that at least they wouldn’t have to dig graves for us, because we were already buried.’

‘Oh Tommy’ she said softly, ‘But it’s alright. That was death, and this is life.’ 

He looked down at her, his hand tucking a stray stand of auburn hair behind her ear, ‘Yeah. Yeah it is.’


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! 
> 
> With massive thanks to Thymother, Awktavia, SallyKaroline, and KatieR for your kind words on the last chapter! Your feedback really is what keeps me going, it's the only *payment* I get for writing, and it means the world. 
> 
> Sorry this chapter is a little on the short side, but I wanted the next one to have a distinct beginning and end point, and it didn't make sense to have the two blur together... Also, you know when I said that this story was only going to be about 20 chapters? Yeah... I lied. 
> 
> V  
> xxx

Chapter 19

‘You fucking did what?!’ 

Aunt Polly’s rage was palpable as they stood in the small front room at Watery Lane. She was standing in front of them, her hands curled into fist on her hips. 

‘We got married’ said Tommy calmly, his expression remaining unchanged. Arin was standing slightly behind him, her hand clasped in his. Her left hand was bare; Tommy had had no ring to give her last night, and she vaguely wondered if she would get one. 

Aunt Polly reached up and delivered a sharp slap across Tommy’s left cheek. Tommy’s head snapped to the right on the impact, but his expression still stayed blank. 

‘We do everything in this family open, Tommy!’ she hissed, her finger under his chin, ‘You don’t just get married and not tell anyone!’ 

‘I did tell someone,’ said Tommy quietly, ‘John was our witness’ 

Polly’s eyes widened and she looked like she was about to hit him again, but Tommy was faster, and he caught her wrist as she moved to slap him. 

‘It’s done Polly’ said Tommy, still holding her arm, ‘Arin is my wife, a member of this family, by handfasting, and we will be married in open church in due course.’

Polly looked at him, her eyes still spitting flames. She opened her mouth to issue a retort when the door burst open and in ran Finn. The whole group had looked around as the door hit the wall; Arthur’s hand had jumped to his waist where his gun was stored. Finn was breathless.

‘Tommy!’ he said, skidding to a halt in front of them, ‘Tommy, Kimber’s in the road’

‘Where?’ asked Tommy, his brow furrowing, he had clearly not been expecting Billy Kimber to turn up on home territory today. 

‘In a car near the pub’ said Finn, ‘He’s with that ratty faced advisor of his’ 

‘Did he say what he wanted?’ asked Polly, glancing across at Tommy. She could see he’d been caught on the back foot, which wasn’t something that happened very often. Arin could see that Tommy was doing some very quick thinking, trying to imagine all the conclusions of Kimber’s visit before they happened. 

‘Nu-uh’ said Finn, shaking his head. 

‘Right,’ said Tommy, ‘All of you, stay here, ‘cept Arthur, come with me’ 

‘Right’ Arthur nodded, shoving his cap on his head, and straightening it. 

Arin looked up at Tommy, ‘I’ll be back,’

She nodded as he turned to Polly, ‘We’ll finish this conversation later.’

Polly didn’t have anything to say to that, but she merely nodded, ‘Go sort it’

Tommy kissed Arin perfunctorily on the lips and then left the house to find why the hell Billy Kimber had decided to make a house call. The door closed with a snap after Arthur’s coattails. 

There was a moment of silence as everyone readjusted themselves to how they needed to act in that moment. Polly looked across at Arin, who didn’t react at all. She knew that Polly was waging a war within herself at that moment, as exactly how to make the next move. She could either embrace her as one of the family, or push her aside. There was a few seconds as Polly weighed this up in her own mind. 

‘Well, I guess you’ll be needing a bigger space in the house then’ said Polly, her tone belying the frown she had on her face. She couldn’t keep her mouth straight, and ended up grinning. The next second she was hugging Arin, pulling her close, ‘Does Maggie know?’

Arin shook her head, a slightly guilty feeling washing over her as she thought of the only relatives that was left to her. Everything had happened so quickly that she hadn’t given any thought to her family and what her hasty marriage might mean to them. 

‘I knew you were special when I first laid eyes on you’ said Polly in her ear, ‘There was just something in your eyes’ 

‘Thank you, Polly’ said Arin. 

‘It doesn’t let you off the hook though,’ said Polly stepping back, ‘I’m still going to make you do it properly’

‘And what does properly mean?’ Arin asked with a grin. 

‘I’ve got to be there!’ said Polly with a laugh, ‘And don’t worry about Maggie and Freddie; we’ll make sure everything’s okay’ 

There was a pause as Polly turned back to her suddenly, her eyes looking critically up and down her figure. 

‘It wasn’t a shotgun wedding was it?’ asked Polly, ‘You’re not pregnant are you?’ 

Arin laughed and shook her head, ‘Not that I’m aware of!’

‘Well thank fuck for that’ breathed John in the corner. Polly turned towards her nephew with a raised eyebrow. John shrugged, ‘Two new Shelby’s in a short space of time?’ 

‘Aye,’ said Polly, ‘I see what you mean’ 

Arin placed her hand on her stomach almost as a reflex; she’d had her last curse about a week ago. So as far as she knew she wasn’t pregnant. She realised that both John and Polly were looking at her. 

‘John was worried you’d murder him for letting us do it,’ said Arin with a grin, trying to deflect the attention off her. 

‘I still might’ said Polly, not taking her eyes from John, who jokily raised his hands, ‘Right, come on, in the kitchen, whilst we wait for himself to return’

Arin nodded, her mind fleeting back to Tommy meeting that snake Kimber. What the fuck did he want? 

**

Tommy came back about half an hour later, his face grave. He approached the scrubbed long table at which they were all sat. Arthur was just behind him. Arin couldn’t read his expression as it he was making it deliberately inscrutable. 

‘Well?’ said Polly, half getting up, ‘What did he want?’ 

Tom stood for a moment and took off his cap. Then he couldn’t keep the tension any longer and his face broke into a broad grin. He reached inside his coat and pulled out two folded up sheaves of paper. They were on velum paper and looked official and fancy. 

‘May I present to you, the Shelby family’s first, _legal_ , racing pitches!’ 

There was a moment as everyone registered what he’d said, and then the room exploded with noise as everyone cheered. 

‘Told you we would do it!’ yelled John, before rushing up to clap Tommy on the back, almost jumping up and down with excitement.

‘What made him give you those?’ asked Polly, her voice laced with her delight. 

‘Services rendered’ said Tommy with a shrug, letting her glance over the documents, but never letting them go. They were the most precious things that he owned at the moment, and Arin doubted that he would let them go until they were in a secure location that only he knew about. 

‘How did you get the Lees to stop slicing up their cutters?’ asked Polly, looking at his face, her eyes searching for any hint of lies. 

‘That’s for me to know, and you to find out, very shortly’ said Tommy with a grin. Arin stood up and moved to his side, also looking down at the paper. She was still holding the mug of beer that had been poured when they’d first come in here. It was watered down a little, but still tasted good. 

‘Right,’ said Tommy, his face showing nothing but glee, ‘I want a fucking huge party. No expense fucking spared!’ 

Polly laughed, ‘When?’ 

‘Tonight’ said Tommy decisively.

‘Tonight?’ asked Polly surprised, ‘Where?’ 

‘On one of the roughed up spaces near the warehouses down by the canal. Somewhere big, somewhere open.’ said Tommy thoughtfully, his eyes alight with ideas. 

‘Alright’ said Polly, looking slightly perplexed at these rather odd instructions. 

‘And I want fucking everyone there. This is going to be a massive celebration,’ said Tommy, his smile enlivening his features. Polly nodded, starting to move away before Tommy caught her arm. 

‘And Polly, when I say everyone, I mean it’ said Tommy, ‘Let’s find Ada?’ 

Polly nodded solemnly, ‘Yes Tom… Tommy, what about Freddie?’ 

Tommy paused, a shadow crossing his face as he thought of his erstwhile brother in law. The last time they’d seen each other they’d held a gun to each other’s faces. 

‘Yes,’ said Tommy, ‘Freddie as well… if he’ll consent to come.’ 

Polly nodded and motioned John away, ‘Come on John. I know you’ve got some leads that could help us find Ada’

Tommy looked quizzically at John, who shrugged, ‘I’ve been trying to find our sister Tom…’

Tommy nodded, looking after the pair thoughtfully as they walked away towards where Arthur was stood with Finn, talking animatedly up at Scudboat, who looked rough as ever with his gold earring in his left ear, but with a broad grin across his face he looked almost approachable. 

‘Tommy’ said Arin, moulding herself into his side, and putting his head against his arm. 

‘Yeah?’ asked Tommy. 

‘Kimber just gave them to you?’ she said, ‘No catch?’ 

Tommy grinned, lighting a cigarette he’d just fished out of his pocket, ‘No catch. Throw the dog a bone and all that.’

Arin raised an eyebrow as Tommy continued, ‘But what Kimber doesn’t realise is that we’re not dogs. We’re fucking wolves.’

Arin couldn’t help but smirk in response, and leaned up to kiss him. He deepened the kiss, his hand that wasn’t holding the cigarette was tight against her lower back. 

‘Ere put her down!’ yelled John as the door to the shop was opened and Arthur yelled the news to the men inside. There was another explosion of noise, and at least fifteen voices were added to the racket of the already busy kitchen. There were even some in there who had come to place bets who looked interested in this new turn of events. 

Arin grinned as Tommy swore at John and let her go, but not before she’d murmured in his ear, ‘Look at you Tommy, next thing you know, you’ll be becoming all _respectable_ ’ 

Tommy looked down at her, his laughter dancing in his eyes, ‘You keep talking to me like that, and the last thing I’m going to be is respectable’ 

She giggled softly, ‘Is that a promise?’ 

Tommy was just about to reply as John barrelled into him, and he and Arthur picked him up, a leg each and hoisted him onto their shoulders. They tried to carry him through the door to the shop, into the celebrating people, but he nearly bashed his head on the lintel, so they had to duck to get him under the green frame. Arin couldn’t help but giggle as he swayed a little on their shoulders, called John a stupid prick for nearly dropping him, and then laughing as they were surrounded by those most loyal to them. Men who had helped them take this first monumental step in growing the business and compounding the Peaky Blinders as a force to be reckoned with. The celebration was in full flow, someone had broken out a barrel of beer from the back room; no work was gonna happen here this afternoon. Arin smiled again, and turned to go and find Polly, both to help with tonight, but also to find a change of clothes. She’d been wearing the same dress for nearly two days now, and if there was gonna be a party tonight, she at least wanted to look the part.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to Awktavia, Thymother, Izzy03331, and LadyRedStar for their lovely and encouraging comments on the last chapter! It really means the world to me when I get comments - tell me what you think! Please? Also, I used Irish for the words spoken, not Shelta. I couldn't find any proper Shelta references online...
> 
> So... yeah... this chapter gets fairly *heated* a bit later. I'm not even sorry. 
> 
> Until next time, 
> 
> V  
> xxx

Tommy stood beside the van, waiting as the men got out of the covered back. They’d only been in there for a few moments as they drove from the centre of the city, already getting started on the whisky that he knew Arthur had helpfully supplied. The men were all dressed in their long jackets, shirts done up under their chin. A few of them had revolvers tucked in visible holsters, but other than that they looked relatively harmless. Charlie was holding a truncheon. As they got closer, however, Tommy acknowledged with a smirk the metal glinting under the peaked caps of many of the men. The steel blades that made them feared and revered. These were _his_ men. Those he trusted the most; the ones who could hold his life in his hands and keep it safe. He trusted them more than anyone else. Except Arin, of course. She was part of him. He’d shown her everything and she’d been a mirror, reflecting her own everything back to him. Tommy threw away his cigarette as the men approached, there boots crunching on the compact earth and gravel ground.

‘Tommy, where the fuck are we going?’ asked John, standing towards the rear of the group that was milling around by the back of one of the warehouses where the truck had pulled up. Tommy breathed deeply and squared his shoulders, approaching his younger brother.

‘Tonight John Boy,’ said Tommy, ‘We end this war with the Lee family once and for all’ 

‘What?’ asked John, confused, he’d thought this was going to be a celebration; the mention of the Lee family threw him slightly. Tommy grabbed John around the scruff of his neck pulling him close. 

‘Now John,’ said Tommy, ‘There’s a girl in the Lee family who’s run a bit wild, and she needs a husband.’

John looked at Tommy, before a look of realisation crossed his face and he tried to throw Tommy’s arm off his shoulder. Tommy held on tight.

‘Fuck off Tommy!’ he spat, ‘I am not marrying some fucking mushroom picker!’ 

‘John!’ hissed Tommy, gripping John harder, ‘look, there’s a woman here who needs a husband. A woman who needs a husband, a man who needs a wife. Either you do this tonight John boy, or a fucking war is going to break out that’s going to make the Somme look like a fucking walk in the park, alright? It’s your choice John boy.’

John looked absolutely mutinous for a few moments, weighing up the options. He looked like he wanted to punch Tommy in the face, never mind acquiesce to his demand. He was breathing heavily, but Tommy didn’t break his gaze, knowing what his younger brother was like. Everything depended on this decision. All his carefully laid plans. John’s eyes were calculating and hard as he contemplated his options. 

**

Arin stood by one of the warehouses where Polly had told her to be. She nervously toed the ground with the tip of her cream leather boot. The ground was dry, so she had worn them without fear of them becoming filthy in the dirt of the warehouse ground. 

She looked up as she heard footsteps coming towards her, as a vision in cream appeared next to Polly, wearing a trailing jacket embroidered with flowers. 

‘Ada!’ Arin yelled, without being able to help herself. She drew her friend into a massive hug, being aware that she couldn’t get anywhere as close to her as she used to be able to. 

‘Wow, you’re growing!’ said Arin, looking down at her friend’s swelling belly. 

‘I know!’ said Ada with a giggle, ‘I feel like the side of a house!’ 

‘You look amazing’ said Arin, and then looked up, ‘Where’s Freddie?’ 

‘He had to meet someone’ said Ada with a shrug, ‘But he said he’d be here later’ 

Arin nodded, ‘I’m so glad you came’ 

Ada nodded, hugging her again, ‘So am I. It’s been too long’ 

‘You look incredible as well’ said Ada looking at her, ‘That dress is… something.’

Arin couldn’t help but smirk, ‘I knew it was going to be a party tonight. I thought I might make an effort’ 

Ada looked at the dress again, which was cut up at the front to just above her knees and fell in a rounded at hem at the back. She was wearing black stockings underneath, with the seams running up the back. It had mid length sleeves and was a wonderful deep green in colour, showing off her cinched waist, which Ada was eyeing with jealousy. 

‘Well you’ve certainly done that’ said Ada, ‘I don’t think Tommy will be able to keep his eyes in his head’ 

Arin laughed, ‘I’m sure he’ll manage. Tommy’s indiscruitable’ 

‘Not where your concerned’ said Polly candidly. 

Ada giggled and shrugged, ‘Polly told me about your elopement. You’ll have to tell me later.’ 

‘You’re one to talk about elopement!’ said Arin with a chuckle. Ada raised her eyebrows in agreement and smirked. With that she took Arin’s arm, and Polly with the other, and together they walked around the side of the warehouse where the rest of the company were sure to be gathered. 

Arin spotted Tommy and John immediately, they were stood with the rest of the group, slightly apart from the Lees. John was standing in front of a woman of about forty, who was looking at him critically. Suddenly there was a cheer as she nodded and opened her arms to her new family member. John took her arms and greeted her in the traditional way, with a kiss on each cheek. Then he backed away to where Jonny Dogs was waiting for him. He knelt on a cushion in front of the man, waiting for his bride, his shoulders tight with nervousness. 

Arin had never seen the girl before, and she hoped Tommy had made the right decision. He’d confided in her earlier today that this was the way he was planning to end the feud between themselves and the Lees. She couldn’t say that she wasn’t relieved; Finn had almost been killed, and with the IRA also after them, it was good to end this blood feud. 

‘Hello’ she said, sidling up to Tommy’s side, with Ada still on her arm. Tommy smiled at her, his eyes sliding to the hem of her dress where his eyes lingered for a moment, but his words were for his sister. He tore his gaze from Arin for a moment to address his sibling. 

‘ _Deirfiúr, tá sásta agam tháinig tú_ ’ said Tommy, his voice soft. Arin was surprised; she’d never really heard him speak the tongue of her homeland, except in moments of extreme anger or passion. 

‘I’m glad you invited me’ Ada replied in English.

‘Will your husband be joining us?’ asked Tommy as a girl rounded the corner, on the arm of a woman who was presumably her mother. Her face was covered in a cream veil, and the dress was modest, but with the stylish drop-waist. 

‘Later’ said Ada, ‘He had some business to conduct first’ 

Tommy nodded, looking forward to where Jonny had just begun to conduct the ceremony. As Jonny began speaking, Tommy took Arin’s hand and grasped it in his own. His eyes didn’t look at her, but she could feel his pulse under his skin. There were people all around them, all their eyes looking forward at the events in front of them. The men from Watery Lane were stood all around them, and the Lee family stood off to the side slightly, watching the linking of the two families. As Jonny spoke the woman in front of him lifted her veil and looked across at her husband-to-be, a man who she had never spoken a word to. Arin giggled slightly at the satisfied smirk that John shot back at his brothers at the looks of his new bride, at least he found her attractive. 

Tommy edged a little closer to her, so there was no space between them as he stood behind her. His mouth was extremely close to her ear. 

‘You look beautiful in that dress’ he said very quietly. She nodded, her mouth hardly moving in reply. 

‘I did it on purpose’ she said. 

‘I know’ he said, ‘because you never do anything by accident’ 

His hand rested on her backside as he spoke, and she leant back a bit so her head was resting on his shoulder. In front of them, Jonny had just finished mingling the two bloods of the newlyweds and let them kiss. A roar went up from the spectators as they were concluded as married. Arin was amazed at how fast the events of the past two days had gone, and she had to pinch herself slightly to be reminded that it wasn’t just a hallucination. The sun was setting over one of the warehouses as Jonny stood up on a wagon and yelled out that now was the time for drinking. Another roar went up from the crowd as two massive ale casks were cracked open and the men began to help themselves. She laughed as she saw Arthur barge two Lee men out of the way to be first at the cask. They didn’t take it as a slight though as he passed a full glass to both of them. 

Arin was just about to move forward towards John, when Tommy’s hand stopped her. 

‘What?’ she asked, turning around, looking up at him. He just smirked and pulled her away from the main crowd, who were all heading towards the booze. Somebody had also gone to find a drum. This was going to be quite a party. 

‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, looking at him urgently. 

‘Nothing’s wrong’ he said with a grin, ‘But you couldn’t expect to wear a dress like that and me not to do something about it’ 

She instantly smiled back, standing in front of him, her hands clasped in front of her, the picture of innocence apart from the look in her eyes. 

‘Well,’ she said, ‘We did have a very short wedding night. And I just thought you would like the dress. I made it from leftover material I had… and there wasn’t enough for a full hemline.’

‘I do like it, very much’ he said, pulling her further away towards one of the warehouses, ‘Come on, we won’t be missed for a while.’

Arin giggled, and hurried after him. She could feel a wetness gathering between her thighs even as she walked, the anticipation was almost too much to bear. The warehouse was locked, but around the back of it was quiet and deserted as Tommy pushed her up against the wall of the huge building, his mouth immediately dominating hers. She moaned into the rough kiss, her tongue meeting his in a passionate dance. One of his hands fell to the short hem of her dress, whilst the other cupped her head. She moaned again as his lips fell to the white column of her neck and kissed and sucked at the skin there. 

‘Tommy’ she whined, as his hand moved to her stocking tops, tracing the soft skin of her upper thighs. His hand stopped suddenly at the naked skin there. She opened her eyes, looking at him mischievously, one eyebrow raised in question. 

‘Mrs Shelby,’ he said quite seriously, ‘You appear to have forgotten something’ 

His chest was pressed against hers, as his fingers explored her complete nakedness between her legs. 

‘Oops,’ she whispered throatily as his fingers ran over her entrance, ‘I must have left my underwear behind’ 

Tommy growled against her neck, pushing two fingers inside of her, causing her to gasp instantly, ‘I might just have to punish you for your _forgetfulness_ later’ 

She looked at him totally seriously, ‘Punish me now’ 

Tommy growled against her mouth, biting on her lower lip, as she rocked her hips against his hand and the fingers that were pumping in and out of her wet heat. 

‘Ah Tommy,’ she gasped, clawing at the wall behind her as he suddenly removed his fingers. She could’ve killed him in that moment, and was glad for a nanosecond that he was only the one of them that was armed with a gun. She didn’t have time to register much else as he spun her around and pushed her into the wall with a leg between hers, he pulled her dress right up, and she could feel the cool night air on the back of her legs. The fact that anyone could come around the corner and find them only heightened her excitement. She moaned as she braced against the wall. She heard the sound of his trouser button, and felt his erection press against her backside. The next second she felt his fingers back at her entrance, running slickly from her entrance to the centre of her pleasure, causing her to whine and bend slightly at the hips as she tried to back into his fingers. 

‘Oh, you’re so wet’ he panted, ‘I need you’ 

‘Then have me,’ she gasped over her shoulder, parting her legs further to accommodate him. He grasped her by the hips and buried himself within her in one stroke. Her palms were flat against the wall as she clenched around his cock, meeting each of his thrusts. 

‘Oh yes, Tommy’ she moaned as he thrust again and again. One of his hands clasped over hers, whilst the other kept a bruising grip on her hips. Her voice was brought to animalistic moans as he roughly fucked her against the warehouse wall, all their clothing still on, but for his trousers shoved to mid thigh, and her dress cast over her hips. The feeling and her erotic imagination were all too much for her, and she began to see stars behind her eyelids. 

‘Arin, fuck’ Tommy gasped hoarsely as she tightened around each thrust as he fucked her with bruising force. 

‘You know something’ she managed to say, as his mouth bit on her earlobe, ‘Your cum is going to be making the inside of thighs wet for the rest of the night’ 

He groaned deeply at that thought, of his seed seeping out of her, as she tried to maintain a straight face in public. There was something completely animalistic in that thought, that he was marking her as _his._

‘Fuck Arin,’ he said, ‘When you talk like that’ 

‘Ahhhh’ she moaned as his free hand found her clit and rubbed against it roughly, ‘Fucccck, Tommy. Yes! That feels so good!’ 

‘Come then,’ he gasped against her neck, ‘Come for me’ 

He continued his ministrations on her centre of nerves, as the pleasure built behind her eyeballs, and in every fissure of her skin, ‘Fuck, fuck, fuck… ahhhh’ 

She came hard, her walls milking his cock as he pushed forward into her hard one last time, cumming deep within her. He stayed pressed against her momentarily before pulling out of her body and beginning to right his clothes. She pulled her dress back down into place, and checked that her stockings were still in place. The dress was perfectly decent for a public party and there was no way it was going to fly up. It was tight across her thighs and backside and would require someone to physical to push it up; only Tommy knew that she wasn’t wearing any knickers. 

She turned around, her face flushed, and her smirk still plastered on her lips. 

‘It’s not even our wedding night’ she giggled. 

‘It’s as good as,’ said Tommy after he had completely righted himself, kissing her softly, ‘You make me do the craziest things.’ 

‘Is that good?’ she asked, taking his hand. 

He looked her squarely in the eyes before answering, ‘It’s neither good or bad. It’s just you. You’re the only one who has this power over me.’ 

She sighed, and kissed him softly again, ‘Come on then, or we’ll be missed.’ 

‘I very much doubt it,’ he said, ‘How much would you like to bet me that Arthur and John have already engaged the Lee boys in a drinking contest?’ 

Arin giggled, ‘Those are very bad odds, so I’m afraid I’m not going to take them.’ 

‘Spoilsport’ said Tommy, grinning as he took her hand. 

They walked back around the edge of the warehouse. Tommy was right, they hadn’t been missed. Someone had lit a bonfire in the middle of the empty ground, another had found a fiddle. The booze was flowing freely and people were dancing as the evening sky darkened to night. Arin was amazed that Tommy’s plans had managed to fall together like this. 

‘Arin!’ she heard called as she emerged beside the cask, where the whisky was stacked on top of it. She grabbed a glass and turned towards the voice. 

‘Ada’ she said, walking over, trying not to notice the slipperiness on the inside of her thighs. Ada was standing with her arm looped through that of a tall man with dark hair and a severe undercut. 

‘I don’t think you’ve ever officially met my husband’ said Ada as Arin reached them, ‘This is Freddie’ 

Arin smiled, ‘Nice to meet you Freddie… finally.’

He took her proffered hand and shook it, ‘Likewise, Arin.’

Ada practically beamed next to them. 

‘So, you’re the only woman that’s ever managed to tame Tommy?’ said Freddie with a grin, ‘I wasn’t sure it would ever happen’ 

‘I think tame might be a bit of a strong word!’ laughed Arin, taking a gulp of whisky from her glass. 

‘Well I suppose, when you run with wolves you’ve got to go a bit wild yourself’ said Freddie smirking. 

‘Quite’ said Arin, and then turned as Arthur appeared at her shoulder. 

‘Come on Arin!’ he said, ‘You owe me a dance!’ 

Arin laughed as he grabbed her hand, only just managed to pass her glass to Ada, as Arthur dragged her out into the open space where lots of people were engaged in dancing. It had been a long time since she’d been able to completely lose herself in drink and dancing. As Arthur led her around the makeshift dancefloor in a crazily paced dance she caught Tommy’s face in the glow of the fire. He was standing with a glass of whisky in his hand, the other shoved his pocket. Her face lit up as she smiled at him. A small smile curled across his own lips, and he raised his glass in her direction. She didn’t have time to make a reciprocal gesture as Arthur whisked her away across he open space, spinning her with delight. 

She laughed out loud, her voice mingling in with the laughter of the others gathered there, the fiddle music and the crackle of the fire.


	21. Chapter 21

Arin collapsed onto a seat on the back of one of the wagons with a huff of giggled air. She’d been dancing for ages and was almost danced off her feet. She was glad she’d worn shoes that were good for dancing; her feet were standing up well to hours of energetic jigs. She smiled as the fiddler started up another quick paced ditty, and everyone cheered at the tune. 

‘Good time?’ asked Tommy, looking across at her and handing her a glass of beer. She was glad it wasn’t whisky, she needed something to quench her thirst, rather than something to pump more alcohol into her blood. 

‘Yes’ she said, eyes sparkling as her breath calmed, ‘Who knew that Arthur was such a good dancer?’ 

‘I’m surprised’ said Tommy, taking a huff on a cigar and raising an eyebrow, ‘I’d always assumed that he had two left feet’

‘Never judge a book by its cover’ said Arin, taking another gulp of the beer, feeling her face cooling down a little. 

‘Ada’s enjoying herself as well’ said Polly looking over at her niece, ‘I just wish she’d slow down a bit, she doesn’t want to make the baby come early’ 

Arin looked over at Ada, who was laughing hysterically and spinning between two Lee’s, apparently without a care in the world. Her grey embroidery dress was whirling around her ankles, showing off the energetic two step she was doing. 

‘Arin, will you go tell her to slow down?’ asked Tommy gently, ‘She won’t listen to me’

Arin nodded, ‘Well I’ll at least try’ 

She took another slug of her beer, stood up, and then giggled as she dodged past a couple doing a crazy jig across the makeshift dancefloor. The fiddle was playing a fast song, whilst another musician was singing a made-up song to the rhythm. Arin caught Ada’s arm as she spun around, making her stop before she flung herself back into the dance. 

‘What?’ asked Ada, her eyes alight with the fire, as she registered her had grabbed her and stopped her from having fun. 

‘Polly said you need to slow down!’ said Arin, having to lean close to be heard over the music, ‘You don’t want to make the baby come early’ 

‘Oh fuck what they think!’ said Ada, laughing, ‘This is the first time I’ve been out of the cubby little hole in weeks!’ 

‘Yes,’ said Arin, agreeing, ‘But think about the baby’ 

Ada bit her lip slightly, ‘Alright, can I keep dancing, but a bit slower?’

Arin couldn’t help but laugh, ‘I guess that’s probably alright, just take it easy yes?’

Ada nodded, before turning towards Freddie, who had just filled up a mug of ale. She took it from him and took a slug of the liquid. Freddie put his arm around Ada’s shoulder and gave her a little squeeze to mollify her somewhat. 

Arin turned away and walked back across the open space, the heat from the bonfire licking at her face as she passed nearby. She clambered back up onto the back of the wagon and sat down again next to Tommy. Tommy put his hand on her knee, sliding his thumb gently backwards and forwards. 

‘Thank you’ he said gently. 

‘She wasn’t happy about it,’ said Arin

‘Didn’t really expect her to be’ said Polly with half a smirk. 

‘But she saw the reason, so…’ Arin tailed off with a shrug. Tommy passed her a glass of whisky, which she sipped slowly. He’d poured it from the bottle that was stood beside his chair. It was half empty, so she figured that he’d been using it for himself, Polly, and Arthur whenever he reappeared at the wagon. Arin could feel herself getting drunk, but she didn’t want to end up so far gone that she wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning. She turned around to look at where John and his new bride, Esme, were sitting under the wedding arch on another wagon. John was laughing at something one of Esme’s brothers had said. 

‘You’ve not danced with me yet,’ said Arin reproachfully looking at Tommy. 

‘Have I not?’ asked Tommy, an amused glint in his eye, ‘I swear we danced earlier?’

‘No we didn’t -, Oh!’ said Arin catching his meaning, ‘That doesn’t count’ 

Tommy laughed, ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to wait ‘til later to see my dancing skills again’

Arin laughed along with him, whilst Polly rolled her eyes in mock disgust. Polly opened her mouth to say something but was cut off as a deafeningly loud report rent the air, cutting through the music and the chatter. Arin couldn’t help but let out a little scream of surprise at the noise. Tommy leapt to his feet beside her, his hand going to the pistol in the holster. He dragged her up and pushed her behind him, so she had to peer around his shoulder to see what was going on. 

Silence reigned for a moment as everyone tried to figure out what happened. Then a voice rang out of the semi-darkness beside one of the parked cars. 

‘Well, what a pretty party we’re having here’ 

Arin recognised the clipped tones of Inspector Campbell – and so, apparently did a few of the others. Freddie immediately tried to bolt out of the lot, and a few Lees tried to scramble out of eyesight. Campbell stepped into the light of the fire, the loaded shotgun held ready. 

‘NOBODY MOVE!’ yelled Campbell, ‘Otherwise I will start using this shotgun for real.’ 

There was a pause as everyone stood still again, all eyes fixed warily on the shotgun, and the crowd of police around the car. There was a breath as time seemed to slow down. 

‘Now,’ said Campbell, turning towards the main area of people, his eyes lit upon Freddie, ‘Mr Thorne, it appears that we have an appointment that you have been avoiding for some time. It’s time we made good on that arrangement’ 

‘No!’ shrieked Ada, ‘You can’t take him – he’s about to be a da!’ 

‘Be quiet you silly girl,’ said Campbell, walking towards the pair. Ada tried to move so she was standing in front of Freddie but he pushed her to the side and out the way, his face set and his expression grim. 

‘Inspector Campbell!’ said Tommy, his voice ringing out across the space. His voice sounded authoritative and calm, but Arin felt a shot of pure fear travel through her system as she watched him approach Campbell. She was well aware of the relationship between them, and the very real weapon that was being held by the inspector.

‘Ah, Mr. Shelby,’ said Campbell, ‘What a pleasure’ 

Everything Campbell said sounded like a sneer, Arin observed. 

‘You’re interrupting a family party,’ said Tommy, as he reached the officer and stood by him, his body language relaxed. 

‘So I believe,’ said Campbell, ‘Unfortunately for you, however, as an agent of the crown I am allowed to access any space, private or public, in pursuit of a wanted fugitive.’

Campbell flicked his hand over his shoulder and three police officers came running forward and grabbed Freddie. He barely struggled, seeming to switch off to try and detach himself from the situation. 

‘No!’ screamed Ada again, ‘Don’t!’ 

There was nothing she could do, she pulled uselessly at one of the officer’s arms as they pulled Freddie away from the group. He just shook her off with ease, and Freddie disappeared into the darkness. 

‘That’s all we wanted Mr Shelby,’ said Campbell, ‘Miss’ 

He dipped his hat in mock servitude in Ada’s direction, who was standing in shock with tears streaming down her face. With that he turned and began to slowly walk away. Arin saw Tommy’s hand reach for his pistol, his entire body shaking in anger at the intrusion, the audacity, and the actions of the inspector. Before he could react rashly, Arin had thrown herself across the open space and grabbed at his arm, preventing him from drawing the weapon. 

‘Don’t,’ she pleaded softly, very aware that scores of eyes were upon then, watching to see what would happen. 

She could feel the tense muscles of his forearm under her fingers for a moment or two more, but then they relaxed, and the fight seemed to go out of his frame. She let go. 

Tommy turned to his sister, who hadn’t moved. Her face was white, and the tears were still pouring from her beautiful eyes, now rent with sadness. 

‘I’m so sorry Ada,’ said Tommy gently, trying to reach out towards her, to comfort her. 

‘Don’t touch me!’ spat Ada, drawing back, ‘You promised me he would be safe tonight! That’s you all over isn’t Tommy?! Making promises you can’t fucking keep!’ 

Tommy didn’t say anything, but let his hand fall to his side. Ada whirled around in a swirl of grey satin and hurried away, her shoes leaving indents on the soft ground. Tommy looked across at Polly who nodded and went after her. Polly would see that she got home safe in the state she was in. Ada was drunk and hysterical; she needed someone to keep an eye on her. Even if it was just to sit on the floor beside her on a street somewhere as she cried herself to exhaustion. Polly would provide whatever Ada needed at that moment. 

People had begun to quietly talk again, but nobody was in the mood for continuing the party now. The musicians put their instruments away, and the party goers started to drift off in dribs and drabs towards whatever home they called their own.  
John had stepped down off the wagon with Esme beside him. She looked shocked, but not overly so. She was clearly used to run-ins with the police from the background she came from. 

‘Sour end to a party,’ said Arthur coming over, trying to cover a drunken hiccough with his sleeve. 

Tommy didn’t say anything; his mouth was a thin line and he looked grim, his incredible blue eyes alight with the fury that was coursing through him. 

‘We’ll get him out,’ he said quietly, ‘We’ll spring him. But how did that bastard Campbell know we was going to be here tonight?’ 

Nobody answered him for a moment. 

‘I guess anybody on the lane could’ve told them where we was gonna be?’ suggested John, ‘It’s not as if we tried to keep it a secret?’ 

‘But how did they know Freddie was going to be here?’ asked Tommy, his eyes narrow, ‘I told Ada at the last moment that it would be safe for him to come, nobody else really knew.’ 

There was another pause before Arthur spoke, ‘Perhaps someone saw him coming?’ 

‘Hmmm,’ said Tommy, ‘Perhaps’

Arin looked around the now fairly empty space. A few of the Lee brothers were throwing the last of the kindling on the fire, which would then burn out before morning. 

‘Alright,’ said Tommy, ‘Let’s get out of here and go home, but I want a family meeting first thing tomorrow’ 

‘Aye Tommy’ said Arthur. 

‘Apologies Esme,’ said Tommy, turning to his new sister-in-law, ‘Not the most auspicious introduction to the Shelby family’ 

‘It’s s’alright’ said Esme with a shrug, shooting a look up at her new husband, clearly unsure as to how she should react. 

Tommy reached out his hand for Arin’s. She took it and together they turned away from the space the party had taken place in. Tommy’s grip on her hand was like steel, and his mouth was set. The rest of the Shelby family followed behind, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. 

There had been two weddings in the past two days, and both of them had been entirely unconventional. Arin figured that there was nothing conventional about this family, so why should their nuptials be any different? She shot a glance over her shoulder at Esme. The new bride didn’t look overly concerned, she seemed more worried about returning to the place she would soon call home. This had all happened very fast for her as well. Arin was determined to make a friend out of Esme, she seemed friendly, but clearly she had a core of iron. She’d of had to; growing up how she did. Esme looked up and saw her glance, Arin shot her a small smile, which she returned. 

Arin turned back and looked at Tommy, there was no hint of emotion on his face, but Arin could feel the purity of the rage that was rolling off him. She wondered if he would sleep at all tonight. She knew that she wouldn’t until Ada was home safe. She sent a prayer up, _Oh God, please let Ada be safe._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N I am an idiot: I just noticed I spelt Ada's name wrong throughout this chapter. My brain is mush at the moment. I'll fix it as soon as I'm back on a computer!)
> 
> I am so, so, so sorry that this has taken so long! I've had serious writer's block with this. It's weird because I know exactly where I want this story to go, I've just really struggled to take it in that direction. It's like I can see the finish line, but there's a chasm in the way first! 
> 
> Thank you for all your patience, and to my regular readers who have been so amazing to me, nagging and cajoling me to get this out. I know it's not the longest or craziest chapter in the world, but hopefully some update is better than none. 
> 
> Hopefully I can get the next update out sooner rather than later. 
> 
> Also, you may have noticed that I've started a new fic - totally outside of the Peaky Blinders fandom. If you want to check it out, I'd be very grateful.
> 
> Thanks again! 
> 
> V  
> xx


	22. Chapter 22

Arin lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Tommy wasn’t in bed beside her; he hadn’t even come up to the bedroom, he’d disappeared the moment they’d got back to Watery Lane, heading back out into the night. John had gone home with his new wife, and Arthur was probably sitting in his cups at the kitchen table below. The door was open to the dark hallway beyond, which meant that Arin was able to keep an ear out to any noise. The curtains were closed and the lamp was lit, but she had the gas turned down very low, so it was fairly dim, casting a flicker on the walls. She glanced at the wall beside the window. That was the wall where Tommy had said he’d used to hear shovels, of enemies coming through the mud and clogging soil to murder him in his bed. He hadn’t heard the shovels since she had taken up residence in bed beside him. She was under no illusions that the nightmares had gone forever, but the longer she was able to help him fight his demons the better. 

Arin was listening to the quiet of the house, for any inkling of what was happening. She was wearing just her shift, having shed her other clothes before climbing into bed. She’d kept her dress and boots within easy reach, however, in case she needed to get up quickly. She could hear a snoring softly coming up the stairs, which suggested that Arthur had fallen asleep as the booze finally got the better of him. If she listened carefully she could also hear the thumping roar of the mill furnace. When she’d first moved here it had permeated her waking hours and she’d heard it all the time. Now she had to listen to hear it, it had all but blended into the background noise of day to day life. 

She rolled onto her side, staring at the empty doorway. She’d been married to Tommy for a grand total of three days and this was the first night (she suspected of many) where she was lying awake for him to come back to her. He wasn’t the kind of man who had – or wanted – a simple life, but she really didn’t like the dull worried feeling sitting in the pit of her stomach at the moment, gnawing away at her insides. She hoped that wherever he was, it didn’t involve doing something stupid like confronting Campbell. She was fairly sure it wouldn’t; Tommy’s blood may have been up earlier today, but a fool he was not. 

She must have dozed off into a light sleep, because she jumped and grasped at someone’s wrist when they gently shook her awake. She opened her eyes to look up at her husband, who had taken off his coat and shut the door. He also put his gun holster and weapon on the hook on the door. He took his hand away from her waist, where he’d gently brought her back to wakefulness. 

‘I didn’t mean to drift off,’ she murmured, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. 

‘It’s late,’ he said, sitting on the bed beside her prone body to unlace his shoes. 

‘Ada..?’ she asked

‘She’s at Polly’s flat’ said Tommy, ‘Polly followed her down to the canal, and let her cry until she was exhausted. Then she took her home. She’s in bed now.’ 

‘Poor Ada,’ said Arin, biting her lip slightly, ‘Have you had any thoughts about how Campbell might have found out Freddie was going to be at the party?’ 

Tommy grimaced as he undid his waistcoat and belt, ‘I’ve had a few, and a few more assertions which lend to those thoughts’ 

‘And?’ asked Arin, unable to help herself admiring his muscled back as he shimmied his shirt off his shoulders. She liked the way his tattoo rippled as he moved. She glanced at the bullet wound on his right shoulder; he would bear that scar for the rest of his life. 

‘It’ll wait until morning,’ said Tommy, shedding himself on his trousers, before returning to the bed beside her, ‘Right now, I want to spend the first night in bed beside my wife’

Arin couldn’t help but smile a little at that, ‘Who knew you were so soft?’ 

Tommy chuckled, ‘I don’t think anyone has called me that before’ 

They were pretty much nose to nose, and Arin leaned forward to kiss him very gently. She gently pulled at his bottom lip as she pulled away, a small smile on her face. 

‘I’m glad Ada is safe,’ said Arin. 

Tommy didn’t say anything, he just made a noise of agreement, before rolling away to turn the gas lamp off. In the darkness he rolled back towards her and encircled his arms around her, pulling her too him, so her head was lying on one of his arms and they were chest to chest. Their legs were entangled together with the cover pulled up over them a little. Arin felt Tommy fall asleep almost instantly. For all his wakeful alertness the events of the night had clearly exhausted him, and he could now allow himself to fall asleep. It gratified her to know that he felt safe enough in her arms to embrace sleep so deeply. She smiled slightly to herself and then she too drifted off, allowing Tommy’s rhythmic breathing to aid her descent into unconsciousness. 

**

Arin awoke to an empty space in the bed beside her. The room was filled with light, which suggested morning was well underway. The indent in the mattress was still slightly warm from the heat of Tommy’s body though, which told her that he’d not left long ago. She got up and put on a dress; a more modest one than she’d worn to the wedding – she had a spare hanging in Tommy’s wardrobe. At some point soon she’d have to go and get the rest of her things from Maggie’s. She hadn’t actually spoken to Tommy about how that was going to work. At the moment she felt like a guest in this house, and clearly, as his wife that wasn’t something that could go on indefinitely. 

She headed downstairs and found Arthur and Tommy sitting at the kitchen table, their heads close together as they discussed something. 

‘Morning Arin,’ said Arthur as she entered the room, clearly not too much worse for wear despite the amount he’d had to drink the day before. 

‘Morning Arthur,’ said Arin, heading over to the kettle that was bubbling on the holder over the fire and beginning to make a cup of tea. 

‘Don’t worry about that Arin,’ said Tommy, looking over at her, ‘We’ve got a family meeting in the Garrison’ 

‘Oh,’ said Arin, putting the kettle down, ‘When?’ 

‘As soon as John gets here,’ said Tommy, ‘Which should be any second as Finn went to get to him’ 

‘Bit mean Tommy,’ said Arthur with a grin, ‘Getting a man up early the morning after his wedding. John’ll be tired.’

‘Well I didn’t get much of a wedding night either,’ said Tommy, ‘So he can just suffer.’ 

‘Is Esme coming?’ said Arin, sitting down beside Tommy for a moment. 

Tommy shook his head, ‘Not today,’ 

Arin nodded, not bothering to question his logic, she probably wouldn’t get a straight answer anyway. 

The door opened and Finn walked in, John followed covering a yawn with the back of his hand. 

‘Not much sleep John?’ Arthur joked as his younger brother stretched his arms above his head. 

John wagged his eyebrows up and down, ‘She has an insatiable appetite, I’ll give her that’ 

‘John…’ Tommy admonished a little, his eyes flicking to his brother. 

‘Oh, yeah,’ said John, ‘Sorry Arin’

‘I wasn’t referring to her,’ said Tommy with a smirk, ‘But your ten year old brother is also earwigging.’

John looked over at Finn, who was sitting on a chair by the stairs, his legs swinging back and forth, his mouth open as he tried to make sense of the conversation. 

‘Oh aye,’ said John with a shrug, ‘Finn, don’t listen to me.’ 

‘He talks shit anyway,’ said Arthur, getting up, ‘Alright, are we going?’ 

‘Yes’ said Tommy, ‘Come on Arin,’ 

Arin headed towards the door and opened it, holding it open for the others to troop through. John and Arthur headed off in front, leaving her and Tommy to walk a few paces behind. John had his hands shoved in his pockets, and it was clear from the dishevelled way that he’d put himself together this morning that he’d done it in a great hurry. 

‘I need to go to Maggie and Freddie’s at some point today,’ Arin said to Tommy as they walked, ‘I need to get some more clothes.’ 

‘Oh yes,’ said Tommy nodding, although this clearly didn’t interest him over much, ‘I’ve talked to Polly, we’re going to move into what was my parents room. It’s been empty for years, and it’s bigger than mine. It’ll do us for now, aye?’ 

Arin smiled at the fact that he’d already had this thought, ‘Yes Tommy, it’ll do. Anything will do, I just thought… y’know, a bed that was actually meant to sleep two might be nice.’ 

‘I see your point,’ said Tommy with a smirk as they reached the Garrison. John held the door for her and she stepped in under his arm. She headed straight into the nook and saw the Polly and Scudboat were already in here. There was a bottle of whisky on the table and six glasses. 

‘How’s Ada?’ she asked as she sat down. John sat down heavily opposite her and poured the whisky, slugging one back immediately, clearly hoping that they alcohol would help him stay awake. 

‘Still sleeping,’ said Polly softly, ‘Poor lamb is exhausted’ 

Arin pulled a face, a hot wave of anger shooting through her that was wholly directed at Campbell. That man had no care in the world for the suffering he brought others, he took delight in causing pain to those who he imagined were lesser beings than him. All she wanted to do was tell Ada that everything would be alright, that her child wouldn’t be born into a world without a father. But she couldn’t guarantee her that. She glanced across at Tommy who was stood with his back to the hatch to the bar, his hands in his pockets. At least, she thought, if she were to have any children, Tommy would be there to help her through. She’d never really imagined Tommy as a father before that moment, but she recognised that it was an obvious possibility, if not a probability. She was brought out of her thoughts as Polly spoke. 

‘Alright Tommy,’ said Polly, ‘What’s this about?’

‘Two things,’ said Tommy, lighting a cigarette before continuing, ‘First is, you all know that I was handfast to Arin a few nights ago. I intend for her to become my wife in the eyes of God and the law.’ 

Arin cast her eyes down the table, she had no idea that he was going to speak about them this morning. She also knew that Tommy didn’t care one jot for God or for the law, and that he was interested in the respectability that a public wedding would bring to them. There could be no doubt about the validity of their marriage. 

‘In order for that to be done, however, banns have to be read and the such like,’ he said, and she could hear the slight annoyance in his voice. 

‘It’s the middle of September now,’ said Tommy, ‘So I thought a wedding at the end of October. That leaves enough time for everything to be organised.’ 

‘For me to organise everything you mean?’ said Polly. 

Tommy half smiled, ‘Well you are good at it Polly’

‘Well,’ said Polly, slightly mollified. Arin reached under the table and grasped Polly’s hand, giving it a little squeeze. She didn’t care for a real wedding. She wouldn’t really have minded if there was no wedding at all and Tommy had just called himself hers. But he wanted to do this properly, so that the law could recognise them as man and wife. It was because – and a shudder of fear ran through her at the thought – that if anything were to happen to him, she wouldn’t be left totally destitute and without any rights. She understood the logic of it, she just wasn’t sure she would enjoy the rigmarole of actually going through with a wedding. At least this meant Freddie and Maggie could be invited; she did feel guilty about getting married the first time and not telling them. They were the only family she had left, and she’d left them out in the cold. 

‘What was the second thing?’ asked Arthur. 

‘Yes,’ said Tommy, ‘This one much more serious. I know who told Campbell about Freddie being at the wedding yesterday.’

‘Alright then, who was it?’ said Arthur, sitting up a little straighter, ‘Are we going to go pay them a visit?’ 

Tommy shook his head, ‘No, it’ll need to be better planned than that. The person who told Campbell about Freddie was Billy Kimber.’

Polly clapped a hand to her mouth, and even Arin was taken aback, wondering how Tommy had come to this conclusion. 

‘I think, really, it’s my fault,’ said Tommy, ‘I didn’t take into account Kimber’s hatred of the Lee family when I thought about joining our two families and ending the feud. Word got out. Kimber wanted revenge on what he saw as betrayal – despite the agreement I’d reached with the Lee family about staying off his pitches.’

‘So he pallied up with the police?’ said John, his eyes dark with anger, ‘That snake – couldn’t even do his own fucking dirty work for himself. Gets into bed with the fucking police instead.’

Tommy made a noise of agreement, ‘Kimber tried to plant a false lead. He tried to get Bobby to tell me last night that he’d let slip about Freddie being there in earshot of a copper,’ 

‘How did he get to Bobby?’ asked Polly, her eyes wide.

‘I found that out last night as well,’ said Tommy, ‘Bobby came to see me after everything had settled down. He said Kimber had threatened to kill his da if he breathed a word, but he trusted me more than he trusted Kimber. Apparently, Bobby’s da owes Kimber some money, and the man held that over the kid’s head.’ 

‘Bastard,’ breathed Polly, ‘To pull a kid into this mess?’ 

Tommy didn’t say anything, but his mouth was a thin line of distaste. 

‘So what are we going to about it?’ asked John, ‘Kimber clearly finks he has some kind of influence on our patch,’ 

‘Clearly he does,’ Tommy nodded, his eyes were cold as he considered what he was going to do about that, ‘Well, we’re going to have dissuade him of that idea. Nobody fucks with us and gets away with it.’ 

John couldn’t help but let a grin stretch out across his face. 

‘Right,’ said Tommy, ‘Arthur, I want you to make sure Danny’s back as soon as possible. We need him for this. And Scudboat, I want you and John to meet me at Charlie’s yard in an hour. Bring a crowbar.’ 

If either of them found these instructions odd, neither of them said anything, but simply nodded in agreement. 

‘Alright then,’ said Tommy, ‘Let’s teach Kimber a lesson he’ll never fucking forget.’ 

‘Or one he won’t live to remember,’ said Arthur darkly. Nobody spoke after that, Tommy simply held up his whisky glass in a toast, which they all mirrored. Arin drank hers back, despite it being early in the morning. She couldn’t say she’d be in the least bit sorry to see Kimber get what was coming to him. She smiled to herself as she thought of how much he would rue the day he ever thought of fucking with the Peaky Blinders. It was a mistake that nobody ever made twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the messages KatieR, LadyRedStar, and Izzy03331! It means so much when you guys leave comments! <3
> 
> This story is slowly coming towards it's close... I hope you've all liked what I've done so far (despite diverging entirely from the show at this point!). 
> 
> Also - this story has reached 200+ Kudos! Thanks so much!! 
> 
> Let me know! 
> 
> xx
> 
> V


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's starting to heat up! Here's hoping it doesn't get so hot that they all burn... 
> 
> With thanks to crezia24, LadyRedStar, Izzy0331, Queen Of The Seven Hells, and KatieR for their comments! It means a lot to me to get feedback (even if it's not all I want to hear - it all helps!). 
> 
> Until next time... 
> 
> V  
> xx

The next few days were relatively quiet, compared to those that had come directly before. Arin went to work in the Garrison for three nights in a row and Ada returned home, her face strained and her voice quiet. She wouldn’t speak of anything other than how they were going to get Freddie out of prison. There was a grim mood in the street as well. It seemed to have its home in the betting shop and was spilling out into the street and to Small Heath like a poison, slowly choking everyone who lived in the vicinity. Everyone, even those who had no idea what was going on, could feel it. Billy Barman left Arin alone most of the time, and didn’t ask her what had happened in the few days she’d been absent. He could see the wedding ring on her finger now, so he at least didn’t need explanation on that part. 

She left the pub before he did one night in the middle of the week. It was dark outside as the night fell earlier in the evening these days as the nights drew in. She knew Tommy was going to be absent tonight. He’d told her that he was going on some kind of job with the Lee brothers. He started trying to tell her what it was about, but she’d heard mention of the guns and had stopped him. She hadn’t changed her stance on the huge stash of weapons that Tommy had hidden away at some undisclosed location – the less she knew the better. She’d not seen hide nor hair of them since that day in Tugboat Charlie’s yard all that time ago. The day Tommy had first kissed her and she’d been pulled onto this train speeding forward into her future. It felt like lifetimes ago when it fact it was only a few short months. 

She was walking down the road towards Maggie’s, her boot heels clicking on the cobbled road. She’d already picked up most of her stuff from there (not having had much in the first place), but she still had one or two things she needed to get. She’d told them all about the wedding in a few weeks. Maggie had been extremely nervous at first, the thought of someone from her family marrying into the Shelby family. Arin had talked her out of her nervousness for the most part, but Tommy had been sweetness itself and come to see Freddie and Maggie one evening after tea. He’d taken the time to explain his intentions and apologise for not asking for Freddie’s permission beforehand. Freddie had shrugged it off, saying that as he wasn’t Arin’s father he didn’t really have the authority to give such permission anyway. Nonetheless Arin asked him whether he’d give her away, which he seemed to be gratified by. 

Now she was back, standing on the doorstep for a moment, before walking inside. Maggie was sitting in her usual spot by the fire, mending a pair of what looked like leggings of May’s. May was sitting at her mam’s feet – her finger tracing over some very large letters in a book that Arin had given her some weeks ago. She liked school, and Arin tried to do everything she could to encourage her cousin. 

‘Evening Arin,’ said Maggie softly, looking up from her work. 

‘Hullo,’ she said, ‘Freddie not about?’ 

Maggie shook her head, ‘No, he took on an extra shift at the mill two days a week – this being one of them. Now that Lucas has gone to London, we’re a bit stretched on the rent.’ 

Arin bit her lip, ‘I have some I can give you, and I’m sure Tommy-...’

Maggie shook her head again, ‘I wouldn’t want to be asking anything of you, love. You’re just about to set up together, you don’t need to be worrying about us.’ 

Arin paused, ‘But I will worry! Please Maggie, if you need anything, just ask’ 

Maggie stopped what she was doing, laying the mending on her knee, ‘Don’t worry yourself love, I promise, if I really need anything – I’ll ask.’ 

Arin pulled a face, but she figured that was probably all of the guarantee she was going to get from Maggie at that moment in time. 

‘Alright,’ said Arin, sighing out a breath, ‘I just came to get the last of my things.’ 

‘Not much left now is there?’ asked Maggie. 

Arin shook her head, ‘No, just the shoes and dress I arrived in from Dublin.’ 

‘That dress is beautiful,’ said Maggie absently, ‘And yet I’ve never seen you wear it once since you arrived.’

Arin shrugged a little, ‘I guess it’s got bad memories attached it.’ 

‘Yes, I suppose so,’ said Maggie, ‘But hopefully those will disappear in time. It would be such a shame to keep it locked away in a cupboard forevermore, because it really is very beautiful – and the colour goes lovely with your hair.’ 

Arin chuckled, ‘Alright, I’ll think about it’ 

With that she turned and went up the stairs to the room that she used to share with Caitlyn and May. At least they’d be grateful that there was more space now. Now that May was getting bigger, it would’ve been difficult for three of them to sleep in the double bed for much longer. She went over to the wardrobe and opened it, looked at the green dress that was hanging there. She smiled softly as she felt the material beneath her fingers, running her hand down the seams and to the hem – the weight comfortably familiar. She took it out and put it over her arm, feeling the heaviness of the material, before bending down to pick her shoes up off the floor of the wardrobe. 

She looked around the room before leaving – she was glad of the safety this place had provided for her when she needed it most. Where she was headed now wasn’t safe, it wasn’t safe in the least, but it didn’t matter to her. There was a certain recklessness about her actions, and she bit her lip as she shut the door on the room. 

‘Goodnight Maggie, night May’ she said at the doorway of the house, ‘Give my love to Freddie when he gets back, and to Caitlyn when she’s in from playin’’ 

‘Will do!’ called May, still by her mother’s feet in front of the fire. Maggie didn’t speak but just raised her hand in farewell. Arin opened the door, and stepped back out into the night. 

**

‘Fuck!’ 

Arin jumped as if someone had just yelled it directly in her ear, the book she was holding nearly falling out of her grip. A door slammed in the near vicinity and a string of expletives was heard again. She stood up from the chair she was currently sitting in. Tommy’s office as the door slammed open and Tommy strode in, a swirl of his coat behind him. His face was white, his cap in his hands. 

‘What?!’ she yelled, frightened by the look on in his face. He looked across her, having not noticed she was in here when he’d first stormed in. He didn’t say anything, just managed to throw up a hand to tell her to stay where she was. He threw his coat off so it pooled on the floor. He was wearing his gun in its holster around his chest.

‘Fuck!!’ he yelled again, this time throwing over one of the chairs that was in front of the desk. Arin didn’t know what to say or to do; he was damned near hysterical. Polly had appeared in the open doorway, Arthur at her side, brought to the office by all of the noise. 

‘Tommy, what the fuck is going on?!’ she yelled at him. 

‘They’ve gone!’ Tommy managed to get out, ‘They’ve fucking gone!’ 

‘What?’ yelled Polly, bewildered, ‘What’s gone?!’ 

Tommy let out a noise like a wounded animal and threw over the second chair that had stood by the first. This one didn’t stand up so well to the poor treatment and one of the legs broke off. At that Arthur started forward, grabbing Tommy and pinning his arms to his side before he could do any further damage to the house or to himself. He wrestled him onto the couch in the corner, preventing him from moving until he’d calmed a little, the red mist disappearing from in front of his eyes. 

‘Now, are you going to tell us what the fuck that was about?!’ asked Polly, angry bewilderment in her voice. 

‘They’ve gone Pol,’ said Tommy. 

‘Yes, you’ve already fucking said that,’ said Polly tersely, ‘Now please fucking elaborate’ 

‘The guns Pol,’ said Tommy, ‘They got the guns’ 

Arin gasped, a million thoughts going through her head instantly. Who had got them? Kimber? Surely not? He didn’t know anything about the robbery in the first place, unless he’d been keeping his ear to the ground in Small Heath. 

‘The police’ breathed Tom, all of the fight going out of him, ‘The police found ‘em – don’t ask me how because I don’t fucking know.’ 

Polly’s hand gripped at the doorframe as she comprehended what he’d just said. She didn’t know what to say clearly, and Arin cast a glance in her direction. Arthur let go of Tommy, seeing that the fight has gone out of him. Tommy collapsed back against the wall, his eyes staring into the middle distance. 

‘What are you going to do?’ breathed Polly. 

Tommy sat forward, rubbing his eyes, before casting them around, his mind looking for half a plan, for the threads of what he had been planning to do before this cataclysm had hit. 

‘Okay,’ said Tommy, his voice sticking, ‘Okay… the guns have gone. The bastards found them, and I don’t know how. What I do know is this gives us space.’

‘Space?’ asked Arthur confused. 

‘Yup,’ said Tommy, ‘The police have got what they came for – the reason they’ve been sniffing around us for months. Campbell will have his prize from Mr Churchill.’ 

‘And you?’ said Arin, ‘What about you?’

Tommy looked up at her, blue eyes boring into green, ‘I might need to run at a moment’s notice. It depends which way the wind blows. Campbell might choose to leave us alone – let the rats fight amongst themselves for the scraps. Or he might choose to hunt me down into the dirt for not giving him what he wanted.’

The was no hint of fear in his voice, merely matter of fact. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her erratically beating heart, and nodded. Polly looked between them, and an understanding passing across her face. 

‘Alright’ she said, ‘Now what’s this about space.’

Tommy looked at her, ‘This is the last time Kimber will expect us to do anything against us. He thinks we’re at our lowest ebb.’ 

‘And aren’t we?’ asked Polly. 

Tommy let a ghost of a smile cross his lips, ‘Oh… not yet Pol, not yet.’ 

**

Arin stood in front of the large iron door, a shiver of nervousness crossing her skin as she waited. The sliding flap opened, revealing the eyes of an anonymous policeman. 

‘State your business,’ said the disembodied voice. 

‘I’m here to see Officer Campbell,’ said Arin, trying to hold the quaver out of her voice. 

‘Is he expecting you?’ the voice said. 

‘He will want to see me,’ said Arin, ‘I have information that he will find useful’

There was a pause as he registered this, before the sliding flap shut with a clang. There was a slight pause and then the bolt clunked back in its place. There was a jangling of keys and the door opened. 

‘Come on in Miss..?’ said the Officer who was stood in the doorway, searching for a name. 

‘Miss Finleigh,’ said Arin, removing her hat, ‘Tell him Miss Finleigh is here to see him.’ 

The officer nodded, ‘Very good Miss’ 

Arin breathed heavily again, steeling her nerves as she waited for appointment with Campbell.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to my loyal readers! Sorry it took nearly a month to get this out. It's going to be a while before the next one as well, because I'm away a lot in the coming months. 
> 
> Especial shout outs to: KatieR, Awktavia, AlanaG, Izzy03331, Ros, and GraceB. Thank you for being so patient with me. 
> 
> V  
> xxx

Campbell was looking at her over steepled hands, the tips of his fingers resting against his lips. She was immediately struck by the fact that he was so closed off; his body language was all turning inward. She remembered seeing Tommy several times in his office, standing behind his desk, deep in thought – his arms spread wide as he poured over his letters and books – his body language was always open. Even when he was stressed or angry his body was relaxed – he believed the second he crossed his arms or looked defensive then he would seem weak and the vultures would close in. He never showed fear on his face, even when he felt it.

The awkward silence that sat between the two in the office stretched on, and on. Arin was quite happy to let it drag, for Campbell to make the first statement. 

‘You asked to see me?’ he said eventually, his gaze never wavering from hers. She held it, not looking away. 

‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I want you to stop hounding my husband. To not look for him, to stop following his brothers on their business, and to stop stalking Watery Lane.’ 

Campbell smiled, a joyless, mirthless smile. 

‘And why would I do that?’ he asked, ‘What is in it for me?’

Arin smiled in return, her smile equally devoid of the emotion it was supposed to represent. She knew that his mind would be working overdrive, wondering what on earth she could have on him. 

‘I don’t know whether you recall William Finleigh, officer?’ she asked, inwardly praying that this would have the effect she was hoping for. It did. It took a few seconds as Campbell’s brain whirred back into the past. When it reached the memory she needed, he paled. His skin going from its usual sallow complexion to the colour of curdled milk. 

‘What?’ he asked. 

‘You heard me’ said Arin, ‘I don’t need to repeat myself’ 

Campbell nodded slowly and stood up, his slow footsteps taking him over to the window. She didn’t wait for him to speak before continuing. 

‘I seem to recall that there was the matter of the Finleigh family’s dealings with police in Dublin, and the ties that they had to various factions of the IRA,’ said Arin, ‘We weren’t having the best of relations with them at the time, so I remember that my father and brothers offered to work with the police, in return for you to butt out of our business… and a little fee.’ 

Campbell didn’t speak, but continued to look out of the window. 

‘Now how would that look in the national newspapers do you think?’ said Arin, ‘That the man who was supposed to be so pure, so above board, was working hand in hand with one of the most despicable crime families in Dublin.’ 

‘I did it to get what I needed to protect the crown!’ blustered Campbell. 

‘Yes, I guess you did,’ said Arin, ‘But that doesn’t explain the need to siphon off the funds from the police to pay for our information and protection now did it? I remember that it was an awful lot over the years, and that you had to stitch up various innocent parties to cover your own back?’ 

Campbell looked at her then, ‘How could you know about that? You were only young’ 

‘I wasn’t that young,’ Arin countered, ‘I was twelve when it all began’ 

Campbell’s eyes narrowed, ‘You don’t know anything’ 

‘Are you willing to risk everything you have, possibly your life, on that bet?’ said Arin, trying to keep her voice steady and her gaze fixed on Campbell’s face, ‘Do you think King George, or your close personal friend Mr Churchill would like to know about your exploits?’ 

‘Alright!’ said Campbell, ‘What do you want?’ 

‘I already stated my terms. Leave my husband alone, and Watery Lane out of your jurisdiction,’ said Arin. 

‘You do realise what he did don’t you?’ said Campbell, trying one last angle, ‘That the weapons he stole could have undermined the power of the British Empire?’ 

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said Arin, ‘I think you managed that quite well on your own funding underground Irish gangs? Doesn’t that count as racketeering and sedition? Besides, I know nothing about any _guns._ ’

Campbell was still looking at her narrowly, his mind trying to calculate a way out of this situation. 

‘And what’s to stop me just locking you away now, or worse?’ said Campbell, trying to reassert his dominance over her. He took a step towards her, and she stood up hastily, trying to maintain her breathing at a steady level. She bent down quickly and pulled the small four-inch knife she had in her sock out. She’d taken it from Polly’s desk drawer when she hadn’t been looking yesterday afternoon – she thought she’d need it.

‘You don’t think I came here unarmed did you?’ she asked him. 

‘They frisked you when you came in!’ thundered Campbell, looking between her and the knife that she was pointing directly at him. He was calculating her grip, and the likelihood of her knowing how to use it. He clearly decided not to take a chance, and maintained his distance out of arms, and _knife_ , length. 

‘They didn’t check my stockings,’ said Arin, ‘Maybe you need to add to your entry policy’ 

Campbell narrowed his eyes, ‘I could have you arrested for threatening a police officer, put away in a place that no one would ever find you’ 

‘You could,’ said Arin, ‘But then I don’t think you’d live to see this evening’ 

Campbell swallowed, trying to weigh up the certainty of her threat. He knew Tommy was dangerous, and that he had a far reach into Birmingham’s prisons. He also had seen the way that Tommy had protected her the night he’d come to the bonfire and arrested Freddie; the threat had been apparent in every muscle of his body. He knew that Tommy would move heaven and earth if anything were to happen to her. 

‘Get. Out.’ he said eventually, his words catching like smoke in his throat. 

‘Do I have you word about Tommy?’ she asked, not moving until she had heard it from his lips. 

Campbell looked venomous, ‘Yes, you have my fucking word, now get out!’ 

Arin didn’t need to be told twice. She turned on her booted heel and left, slamming the door after her. 

**

‘It’s quiet’ said Tommy, his hand running over her bare back as they lay together in bed that night. There was no moonlight tonight, but the light from the street was spilling through the curtain. 

‘It’s 1 in the morning’ said Arin, ‘Is it usually anything else?’ 

‘I don’t know,’ said Tommy, his eyes wide and alert and not a hint of sleep in them, ‘I keep expecting to hear boots on the stairs, or police vans in the street.’ 

‘I know subtlety isn’t Campbell’s style,’ said Arin, ‘But I don’t think he’ll be doing that anytime soon’ 

‘What makes you say that?’ said Tommy, looking down at her. 

‘I don’t know,’ said Arin, studiously nonchalant, ‘Maybe he’s got bigger things on his mind now than the inner workings of Watery Lane or the devious mind of Thomas Shelby’ 

Tommy chuckled, ‘Devious, eh?’ 

‘I’m fairly sure you’ve been called worse,’ said Arin, circling her fingers around the bare skin of his chest, and across the smooth slope of his stomach. 

‘Oh, many many times,’ said Tommy, kissing her softly on the top of her head, ‘It’s strange…’ 

‘What is?’ asked Arin after he’d paused for a tad too long. 

‘After I came back I didn’t care about anything,’ said Tommy, ‘And now I do. I want to make sure you and…’ 

‘And..?’ she asked

‘… and any children we might have, will be safe and secure in this world’ he said, ‘I want them to have better than I did growing up’ 

Arin smiled, ‘And they will – whenever they decided to grace us with their presence. We’ll love them.’

Tommy chuckled, ‘I don’t doubt it’ 

He squeezed her shoulders, and kissed her on the top of the head softly again, ‘Hmmm I wonder what they’ll look like – whether they’ll have red hair or brown…?’ 

Arin giggled despite herself, smacking him lightly on the chest, ‘Jesus Tommy, when did you get so soft? And anyway, I’m not pregnant, so why are we even talking about hair colour? Next you’ll be wanting to pick out names!’ 

Tommy laughed and pushed her gently, ‘Nope, but I can think of things I’d rather be doing’ 

She smirked at him as he rolled up onto his shoulder, so that he was slightly above her now. He kissed her shoulder, and then down her collarbone, leaving gentle nibbles down her skin that was slowly heating up to his touch. He shifted the sheet off her body, pushing it away until it heaped at the side, she giggled quietly as he continued his mission down her flat belly until he reached the juncture of her thighs. He kissed each of her hips bones in turn before spreading her legs so that he could lie between them. 

‘Tommy,’ she breathed as he teased her, manoeuvring her legs onto his shoulders, so she was utterly at his mercy. 

‘Mmmm?’ he queried as nipped at the soft skin of her inner thighs. 

‘Tommy, please,’ she murmured, as he blew a cold breath on the air he’d just kissed, making her skin goosepimple and shiver. 

‘Please, what?’ he asked, wanting her to beg him for her pleasure. 

‘Please, use your tongue, or fingers… or anything’ she begged, as he nipped at her again, paying attention to anywhere except where she needed him most. 

The next second her hands clapped over her eyes in delight as he put his mouth on her, alternating between licking and sucking her clit. He put pressure around it with his fingers, driving her crazy as he alternated between gentle licks, and rubbing her roughly, so her senses didn’t know what to expect next. Her stomach tightened with the feeling and she mewled in delight, needing him to keep doing exactly what he was doing. 

‘Oh god, Tommy,’ she said, unable to stop her hips rising towards his face, he used one hand to loop around her leg and across her belly, holding her flat to the mattress. She was writhing on the bed, her eyes screwed shut as the pleasure mounted. This only increased when he slid a finger inside of her, curling it up to stroke inside of her. She panted hard, one hand twisting in the sheets beside her, the other pulling on his hair. In other circumstances, she’d have worried about hurting him, but right now she didn’t have the capacity to care, as her eyes screwed tightly shut, her breath coming in short gasps. 

The door slammed open, light streaming into the room from the lantern the person was holding.

‘Oh holy Jesus!’ came Polly’s voice from the doorway, as Arin screamed and scrambled for the sheet to cover herself. Tommy had moved as fast as a snake in the grass, and darted towards the gun he kept in the drawer by the bedside, his hand had closed around the handle of the pistol before his thoughts caught up with his actions, and he stayed his movements. Thankfully he’d not taken off his pants, so his modesty was somewhat intake, unlike Arin’s. 

Arin was sat up in bed, her face bright red, the sheet clutched about her body. 

‘Jesus fuck, Polly!’ huffed Tommy, ‘Have you never heard of fucking knocking? I could’ve shot you!’ 

‘Tonight there’s no time,’ said Polly, and then looked at Arin, ‘I need your help. It’s Ada, it’s the baby. It’s coming – it’s early’ 

Arin blanched a little and then nodded, ‘Give me three minutes to get dressed and I’ll be there’ 

Polly nodded and went out, shutting the door behind her. Tommy’s body immediately relaxed and he fell back against the covers, his heart beating fast under his chest. There was a breath in the dark as nobody moved before Arin came to her senses. 

‘I’ve got to go,’ Arin whispered, climbing over his prone form, ‘I’ll see you later’ 

She threw on the first clothes she could find, and a pinafore over the top, before hurrying out of the room, tying up her hair as she went, and followed after Polly.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this has taken so long! I have been unbelievably busy. RL work has been crazy, and then I have been on holiday, and... you know, the list goes on. I'm going away again soon for a few weeks, and I'm going to have no time to write, so they'll be another gap between this chapter and the next. 
> 
> I hope you stick with me! We're nearly at the end of this story I think... probably 2 more chapters in this one. I do have a short sequel planned as well. 
> 
> With lots of love to Sarah, LLivejournal, Izzy03331, GraceB, KatieR, AlanaG and Ros for their lovely comments. You guys really do inspire me, and I hope that you like this new update! 
> 
> V  
> xxx

Chapter Twenty-Five

Arin wandered up the road, her vision bleary from her almost total state of exhaustion. It was extremely early morning, and the first glimpses of light were just beginning to penetrate the darkness. The moon had set about an hour ago, and the first rays of dawn were lighting the gloom of the city streets. The Garrison was just up ahead, although she had to go around the back to get in because the front door wouldn’t be open, and her key was in her other dress pocket. If the boys had used one of their keys to get in, they would’ve locked it behind them.

Opening the back door with a small shove to the wood with her shoulder, she walked through the crates and stacks of barrels, barely managing to avoid tripping over a case of scotch that had been left on the floor, sticking out into the narrow walkway between the rows of alcohol. She pushed open the door to the main bar with a slight feeling of trepidation at what might be inside. She wasn’t disappointed, Tommy was sitting – or rather lying – on the bar next John, whilst Arthur was in a booth with his head on his arms, with Curly nearby, snoring peacefully, with his cap pulled down over his face. Arin couldn’t see if Arthur was awake or completely out of it. A heavy smell of whisky lay thick on the air. 

‘Tommy!’ she whispered as she approached her husband. An empty tumbler was near his knuckles. He didn’t stir, his eyes closed. 

‘Tommy!’ she tried again, louder this time. Tommy shifted slightly, his forehead creasing at the sound of her voice. 

‘Wetting the babies head, eh?’ Arin said as he came around slowly, his eyes opening, ‘More like drowning the baby in the amount of whisky you seem to have drunk tonight.’ 

Tommy groaned and sat up blearily, his eyes opening properly. She could tell that room was probably spinning around him right now.

‘Well we’ve been here a while,’ said Tommy, as if that was an adequate explanation for the current state of him and his brothers. 

‘Yeah well it took a while,’ said Arin with a grim intonation in her voice. She highly doubted that Tommy wanted, or needed, to hear any details of what had transpired in Polly’s sitting room. 

Tommy pulled a face, confirming her suspicions. 

‘Is Ada okay?’ Tommy asked hoarsely. 

‘She’ll be alright,’ said Arin nodding, ‘She just needs to rest’ 

‘And the babe?’ Tommy prompted. 

‘You are a proud uncle [i]again[/i] Tommy. He’s healthy by all accounts – at least he sounded it. He was screaming his head off when I left.’ said Arin with a grin, kissing Tommy lightly on the lips. The taste of whisky still lingered on his skin.

Tommy’s smile widened, ‘That’s amazing. I’m an uncle!’ 

‘You’ve been an uncle for a while,’ said Arin pointedly, looking at John. 

‘John’s kids don’t count,’ said Tommy with a smirk, ‘They’ve been around for ages’ 

‘Heyyy,’ came the mumbled voice of John from the depths of his coat, which informed Arin that he wasn’t entirely unconscious or unaware.

Arin stood back up, away from the pair of them and the smell of whisky, stifling a yawn with the back of her hand, her shoulders cracking as she involuntarily stretched. 

‘I think I’m going to have head back to bed for a few hours,’ she mumbled, ‘Otherwise I’m going to be useless for the rest of the day. Although to be fair, I don’t think you’re going to be much use either.’ 

Tommy smiled blearily, ‘Here’s hoping I don’t have to be. I’ll come with you.’ 

‘What about these three?’ asked Arin, looking at the nearly unconscious John, sleeping Curly, and the very unconscious Arthur. 

‘They’re not going anywhere fast,’ said Tommy, standing up slowly from the bar and pulling his cap off the bar. He put it on his head and took her hand before they walked out of the pub by the way she came. He squinted in the early morning light, his head probably not thanking him for the dawn streaming into his eyes.

‘By the way,’ said Arin, putting her head on his shoulder, ‘She called the baby Karl’

‘Carl?’ asked Tommy, as they walked in sync along the cobbled road.

‘Karl,’ said Arin in agreement, ‘After Karl Marx’

‘Of course she did,’ said Tommy smiling, ‘Come on then, let’s go home’ 

They walked off up in the street as it began to wake up for people to go to work. Arin could hear voices from behind closed windows, and the sounds of doors opening and closing. She was too tired to make out what any of the voices were saying, and she was glad of the fact she wasn’t required to do anymore talking at that moment, as they guided each other up the street towards home. 

**

Arin fell asleep almost instantly her head hit the pillow when they got into the bedroom. She didn’t know whether Tommy fell asleep next to her or not because she was away with the fairies by the time he’d taken his shirt off. She just about managed to strip her dress and boots off before falling into unconsciousness. 

She came around some hours later and glanced out of the window, the sun was high in the sky, which told her that it was around noon. The bed was empty next to her, and the indentation where Tommy had been was cold, telling her that he’d been gone for a while. She got out of the bed and slipped into her dress and boots. The apron she’d worn the night before had been left by the door downstairs. The laundress would be around tomorrow to take the clothes away for washing and cleaning. It had only been a few months that the Shelby family had been able to afford this luxury, and it took some getting used to. Although, Arin had to admit, she did enjoy not having to be up to her armpits in soapsuds once a week anymore. 

She walked down the staircase to find the betting shop door open, and the inside noisy as ever, with runners, betters and chalkers doing their trade. Finn was sitting on a chair by the open door, his legs swinging back and forth. He leapt up the moment she came into view. 

‘Hi Finn,’ she said, trying to take in his expression and figure out why he’d been left on standby, clearly waiting to talk to her, ‘Where’s Tommy?’ 

‘He’s had to go meet Sgt Moss,’ said Finn, biting his lip, ‘But he said he’d be back soon, and that you weren’t to worry about ‘im.’ 

Arin narrowed her eyes at him, it was rare that Tommy would tell Finn to specifically mention not to be worried. That instantly made her skin prickle with goosepimples, because it told her that she had reason to be worried. 

‘When did he go?’ she asked, ‘And where are the others?’ 

Finn twisted his cap in his hands, ‘Only a few hours ago, Charlie came and got him, but he didn’t want to wake you.’ 

Arin was surprised she hadn’t heard Charlie when he’d come to call for Tommy – or was that just a cover? Had Tommy known he was going to leave her in bed, and just counted on her being too tired to know anything about it? 

‘And where are the others?’ she asked.

Finn instantly looked relieved, clearly he thought that this was safer ground; ‘Polly’s still with Ada and the baby. John’s gone with Tommy and Arthur’s in church.’ 

‘Church?!’ Arin blurted out surprised, ‘Why the fuck is Arthur in church?’ 

Finn shrugged, looking anxious to be gone now that he had delivered her his message. Arin took pity on him and mussed his hair up, ‘Go on then Finn – but drop in on Arthur and make sure he hasn’t died of his hangover in a pew somewhere’ 

He instantly scampered off, through the betting shop, and the open back door that led out into an alleyway and the adjoining streets. He’d do his duty by Arthur, although Arin surmised if the oldest Shelby brother had managed to make it out of the pub and to the church, he’d probably manage to live until the alcohol was out of his system.

Arin stood, slightly at a loss as to what to do. She wasn’t due at work for a few more hours, and with everyone else scattered to the four winds, she felt at a bit of a loose end. In the end, she decided to head down to the stables. At least there she could be with the animals. Horses seemed to soothe her soul; they were gentle giants when handled right, and just being around them made her feel more at ease. Tommy would say something about it being her gypsy blood, but she wasn’t sure how much her latent blood had to do with it, she was fairly sure it was to do with the quiet and stoic presence of the animals. They were so different to humans in that as long as you were gentle and calm with them, they could have an equal effect. Noise and stress seemed to melt away in the presence of animals. 

She was surprised when she got to the canal side stables that she wasn’t the only one who’d had that idea. Standing next to Tommy’s stallion was Esme; John’s new wife. She was brushing him down gently, whistling softly through her teeth as she worked.

‘Hello Esme,’ said Arin quietly, hoping not to startle the girl. She did jump a little, but then spotted her and smiled. 

‘Hello Arin,’ she said, ‘You not with Tommy?’ 

‘No,’ said Arin, stroking the horse on the nose in greeting. He nuzzled her gently with his soft muzzle in return, ‘I was still sleeping until late’ 

‘Same,’ said Esme, going back to brushing the horse’s barrel with long smooth strokes, ‘That baby was a tough one, poor girl’ 

‘I wouldn’t know,’ Arin said, ‘That was the first birth I helped with. I grew up with three brothers.’ 

Esme raised her eyebrows, ‘Oh. In the camp there was someone new being born fairly often – and we all helped if need be.’ 

Arin nodded, ‘You did seem to know what you were doing. I think Ada was very glad that you were there.’ 

‘She probably wasn’t thinking too much of anything,’ said Esme with a shrug, ‘At that point they often aren’t.’ 

Arin shrugged, ‘You must know a lot about horses as well…’ 

‘Yeah,’ said Esme, ‘Pretty much born riding’ 

‘I wasn’t quite like that,’ said Arin, ‘Being born in a city does have its drawbacks – but every time I got the chance I’d be around them. My mam came from gypsy stock – so she used to take me riding whenever she could.’ 

‘I used to sleep in a manger’ said Esme with a small smile, ‘Until I was seven. I was always picking bits of straw out of my hair and dress. My sisters used to call me ‘scarecrow’.’ 

Arin raised her eyebrows and smiled, stepping closer to the horse and picking up a comb off the stool with the other, she began to comb the tangles out of the black stallion’s mane. Esme smiled across at her as she continued to brush. They didn’t need to speak any more, but Arin was glad of the quiet companionship of the other girl and the beautiful animal as they made his coat gleam, and his mane shine. Once they were finished, Esme fed him a small apple that she’d had in the pocket of her dress, which he munched on happily, whickering softly after he’d finished. 

‘Do you reckon they’ll be back yet?’ asked Esme, as they walked back up the hill towards Watery Lane. A man hurrying in the other direction docked his cap in their direction as they passed. Esme looked a little startled, but Arin was used to it by now.

‘I don’t know’ said Arin, ‘I’m not sure where they’ve gone. I know they went to meet a contact, but I’m not sure where that was happening.’ 

Esme nodded, a little unsure, ‘Is it always like this?’ 

Arin looked across her and then shrugged, ‘A little – there’s always something going on.’ 

Esme nodded again, clearly under very few illusions as to what her new family was like. They reached the house a few moments later and opened the door. John was sitting in a chair in the front room, with Tommy by the fireplace. 

‘Where have you been?’ asked John as they entered, and stamped off their boots on the rug. 

‘The stables,’ said Esme, ‘Went there after you took off this morning’ 

John grunted his assent, ‘You could’ve told someone’ 

Esme shrugged, ‘Arin was with me’ 

Tommy looked across at Arin and said sharply, ‘No more going down there on your own. Or walking about without one us.’ 

‘Why?’ asked Arin warily, ‘What’s going on?’ 

‘We just met with Moss’ said Tommy tersely, ‘Mainly to give us an update on Freddie and where he is, but he let something slip about Kimber.’

‘What?’ said Arin her eyes wide, ‘What’s going on?’ 

‘That snake is still working with Campbell,’ said John angrily, the bitterness evident in his voice, ‘And he thinks that now the guns have gone that he can run us out.’ 

‘Run us out?’ asked Arin, ‘Of Small Heath?’ 

‘So he thinks,’ spat Tommy, ‘But it’s not going to happen. We’re going to hit them first, and hit them hard.’

John nodded, his face grim. 

‘Have you told my brothers?’ asked Esme. 

‘Yes,’ said Tommy, ‘It just so happens that it’s the Derby races tomorrow… and Kimber will be there with his pitches. I didn’t want it to happen so quickly, but now that it is, we’ll be ready. Kimber will regret the day he ever thought he could destroy me.’

Arin didn’t say anything, but she could feel her heart beating fast beneath her chest. Everything was coming to a head now. The anger, the hate, and the hurt of the past few months was boiling over. She was just praying that it wasn’t them who would end up being burned.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate chapter in this story guys. The eagle eyed amongst you may have spotted that there is a prologue to the sequel floating about it... it's just meant as a little teaser! It's called 'Dead Men Do Tell Tales', and it will be starting once this story finishes. I hope to have the next (and final) chapter out within the next fortnight, but I'm not promising because RL is super crazy at the moment (as always). 
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to GraceB for her lovely comments! 
> 
> As usual, massive massive thanks to those who commented - KatieR, Izzy03331 and LadyRedStar. Hope you enjoy guys! 
> 
> V
> 
> xxxx

Chapter Twenty-Six

Arin stood in The Garrison, her fingers gripping at the edge of the bar, turning her knuckles white with the pressure. It felt good to have the solid wood beneath her fingers though – it helped ground her into some sense of reality. She nearly jumped out her skin when she felt a warm hand run down her spine and come to rest at the base of her back. She turned around to face Tommy, who’s breathing was steady and regular, despite the grim look on his face. She’d been so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn’t really been paying attention to anybody around her until that moment. 

‘How can you be so calm?’ she whispered harshly at him. 

‘Because there’s nothing else to be’ he said simply, with a shrug, ‘If I am to meet death today, screaming about it won’t stop it.’

Arin moaned lightly through her lips, the sound of an animal in pain, ‘Don’t say that. Please don’t say that. I couldn’t bear to lose you.’ 

Tommy didn’t try to comfort her; knowing that words were useless at a moment like this. What was the point in saying that everything would be alright, when there was no certainty in that statement? If one of the last things he ever said to her was a lie, would she ever forgive him? No, it was better to simply face the reality of the situation, no matter how dark it was. Her eyes darted around his face – trying to drink in every facet of his face – every mark and angle that made up its beauty. 

‘Come here’ he said, taking her hand and leading her into the empty back room of the pub, away from the prying eyes of John, Arthur, Esme, Polly and the others who were in different states of conversation or silence in the booths and pub seats, their own tension filling the fetid air. 

Tommy shut the door behind them and then the only light on them was coming from the three small grimy windows in the wall to the right. 

‘Are you going to say anything?’ she asked after a moment of him standing in silence, looking at her. 

‘Is there anything to say?’ he asked her softly, ‘Anything you’d like me to say?’ 

She shook her head, ‘No. I’d rather you didn’t lie.’ 

Tommy nodded and held her close. His hand on the back of her neck and once again at the base of her spine. He was warm, and the feeling of his steady heart beat reminded her of his closeness and the reality of him. 

‘How long?’ she asked not moving her head from his shoulder. 

‘They came into Birmingham about twenty minutes ago,’ said Tommy softly, ‘So not long. Finn is watching. We’ll know.’ 

Arin nodded, not wanting to ask anymore. She didn’t want to know. 

‘I want to feel you,’ she said suddenly. 

‘What?’ he asked, looking down at her. 

‘If...,’ she said tailing off. 

‘Don’t’ he said. 

‘Please Tommy,’ she said, backing up until she was sat on one of the tables. She pulled her skirt up to her thighs and put one of her feet on the table. She didn’t know what had come over her. A sense of fatalism perhaps, but she just wanted to throw everything into these few moments. If this was to be it – the final moments she had with Tommy – then nothing else mattered. 

Tommy stepped closer to her; standing between her legs. He kissed the side of her neck; nibbling and sucking gently, causing her to tip her head back. She reached her hand down the front of his slacks; making short work of his buttons and assuring that he was hard in seconds with a feel deft strokes along his length. He grunted slightly at her efforts. 

‘This isn’t goodbye’ he growled against her skin, as he pulled her underwear down just far enough, ‘It isn’t’ 

‘I know’ she said, gasping as he buried himself within her in one thrust. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out at the deep intensity of his actions. 

It wasn’t making love. It wasn’t even fucking. It was about feeling together – about having that one last time to know each other completely. She was grasping at his back, digging her nails into his skin beneath his shirt. He was holding onto her hips, demanding that she meet him with every thrust as she clenched around his cock. It was over very quickly, but it didn’t matter. Tommy was cumming within seconds and she was gasping along with him.

He stepped back and righted his clothing. She did the same and slid off the table, her breathing returning to normal. 

There was a loud knocking on the door and Tommy looked over, dispassionate and unsurprised. 

‘Tommy! Tommy! They’re in the lane!’ Finn’s voice came through the wood. Tommy nodded, even though Finn couldn’t see it. He squared his shoulders and looked directly at Arin, his blue eyes flames burning into hers. She didn’t say anything – there was nothing to say. He took his revolver out of his pocket, swirling the bullets around the magazine before clicking it back into place. He stepped out into the bar of the pub without looking back at her. She heard the heavy boots of Tommy, John, Arthur, Jeremiah, Curly, Charlie and the others step out of the pub to step up towards their fate. 

Arin stayed for a moment in the back room, unsure of what to do, or where to go. After counting ten seconds in her head she walked back into the bar. Polly had already disappeared, and Esme was hovering near the back door. 

She looked up, catching Arin’s eye, her pupils wide with panic, ‘I can’t be here’ 

She put her hand on the latch and opened the door, hurrying through it and out of sight. Arin was left on her own in the space – although she didn’t really feel alone. Curly’s coat was still hanging in the booth, and Jeremiah’s hat was on the table. She half wanted to go to the door – to open it and look out and see when they would be back to collect it. Yet Tommy had told her not to – he’d told her to stay indoors and stay safe. She’d be in enough danger if this went south. She wouldn’t stay here if it did – she couldn’t. She would run the second Billy walked across this threshold. She shook her head; she couldn’t think like that. 

She went back over to the bar, drumming her fingernails on the wooden surface – unsure as to whether it had been ten minutes or ten seconds since Tommy had stepped out of the door. She didn’t know what to do with herself, or where to be. Her palms were sweating yet her heart rate was slow and steady. She couldn’t decide whether to be nervous or whether she needed to be sick. It felt like all of her energy was pent up inside of her – just waiting to explode in a burst of light. 

She went over to a frosted glass window at the front of the pub, standing on her tiptoes even though she couldn’t see out of it. The glass was too distorted. It gave her a sense that she was doing something – even if in reality it was nothing. 

There was a moment as she stood there that she thought she could hear something – an argument happening perhaps. The sound of confrontation between a group of people. The wind gave a sudden gasp, making the front door creak in protest at the gust. She heard the crack of a gun and she couldn’t help but gasp out in pain, desperately hoping that it wasn’t a bullet for one of Tommy’s men. There was breath as the thoughts raced through her head, and her hands pushed flat against the wall of the pub, as if willing it to fall so she could see out and know what was happening. 

Then a hand grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back against a hard chest. She screamed – or at least she tried to – but a wad of cloth was pushed across her open mouth and her nose before any noise came out. It was covered in some sort of cloying substance that made her gag and choke. She struggled against the iron grip that was wrapped around her arms and tried to twist her head away from the cloth, to gain some air in her lungs. She felt like she was drowning and suffocating all in the same moment. She couldn’t breathe. She struggled with everything she had – but every muscle in her body was screaming from lack of oxygen. 

Her vision grayed at the edges and she felt her muscles scream at her before her head felt like it had been split open by a light that faded to black.

**

Tommy roared in pain. 

‘Go on Tommy! Nearly got it!’ shouted Arthur as Jeremiah dug in his shoulder, extracting a bullet that that son of a bitch had fired, finding it’s home in his already scarred and wounded body. There was a moment of relief as it was freed from the tissues and muscles of his shoulder. 

Arthur shoved a bottle of whisky in his mouth, allowing him to take a gulp of the hot liquor, before saying, ‘Deep breath!’ 

Then there was most intense burning he’d ever felt as white light burst in front of his eyes, and he couldn’t help but scream, as Arthur shoved the bottle over the wound, dousing it in alcohol. 

‘There!’ Arthur yelled, ‘finished.’

Tommy winced as they helped him into a makeshift sling as his vision cleared. His head was pounding and he felt a little unsteady on his feet, but there was no way he was going to show it. Billy Kimber was dead. That was all that mattered. The son of a bitch was dead and by tonight would be a shallow grave off the side of the Derby Road. He was sure that his men wouldn’t really care about where they left his body. They were free, and they were safe. They could build how they were meant to from now on.

He looked around noticing a significant absence, ‘Where’s Arin?’

His question was particularly directed at Polly, who’d appeared only a few moments earlier. She looked bewildered for a moment. 

‘I don’t know,’ she said, ‘She stayed in the pub – at least I thought she did’ 

Tommy looked around at the other faces; hoping that they would provide him with an answer. Just then Esme ran in and straight over to John, wrapping her arms around him. 

‘Esme!’ Tommy called, causing her to look over at him, ‘Have you seen Arin?’ 

‘No’ said Esme, ‘Not since I left the pub. She wanted to stay here – to wait.’ 

Tommy’s brow furrowed, ‘Fuck!’ 

The sound of his yell made Curly jump and look intensely nervous. There was a moment of silence as Tommy’s gaze darted around – as if Arin’s location would be magically revealed to him in that moment and he would realise that everything was indeed, as it should be. 

‘Where the fuck is my wife?!’ Tommy growled, ‘Find her!’ 

There was no dissent. They could all hear the anger and the worry in his voice as he spoke. The group broke of its own accord, heading in different directions to find Arin. There was no reasonable explanation as to why she wouldn’t be here. She’d been so wrapped up in this – there was no way that she just would have run out and not come back. Where the hell had she gone?


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! 
> 
> So this is it... for this story anyway! As you can see... it definitely has a part two to it! This chapter is a little longer than most - nearly 4,000 words, although to be fair I have had the first 1,000 or so written since about chapter 10! I always knew where I was going with this one... I hope you enjoyed Burning at Both Ends - I certainly enjoyed writing it! I'd like to send out my huge thanks to everyone who commented, left kudos, or subscribed/bookmarked, it was you guys who kept me writing, and I hope I did it justice! Peaky Blinders Season 4 coming soon as well... have you all seen the trailer?!
> 
> Anyway... extra special thanks go out to my commentors: 
> 
> LadyRedStar (who was the first person to comment!!), GraceB, Awktavia, KatieR, Izzy0331, Sarah, LLivejournal, AlanaG, Ros, crezia24, patsita8, Toshiba234, Thymother, SallyKaroline, Badwolffor3ver, PeakedInterest, SmuttyFanFiction, LydiaOhLydia, AdharaSnow, Calauh, AndiInWonderland, LilyDeer, Riadanian, mymymetrocard_, Jewel_of_the_mountain, Cat, Bloomsky, Alex, Sammy, Tate, AE, and Annie. 
> 
> It really does mean the world to me when you guys comment. I love you for it. Thank you so very very much! 
> 
> Happy Halloween!!!
> 
> V  
> xxx

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Arin came around to a foggy blackness, her eyes taking a few moments to adjust to the gloom of wherever she was. She could still feel the chloroform clogging up the back of her nose and throat, burning as it circulated. She coughed a little as her eyelids drooped and then reopened, feeling heavy; she fought back the urge to fall back into blissful unconsciousness. She tried to move but realised she couldn’t. Her hands were tied behind her around a chair back. She pulled at the binding, struggling a little, but it didn’t budge, and it started to rub at her wrists as she wiggled. She coughed again as her throat caught against a stray fume, causing her to gasp. It was very dark in here, the only light coming in from a crack under what she assumed was the door. She didn’t know whether to call out or whether to stay silent. Clearly whoever had brought her here had done so for a reason, although she wasn’t sure she wanted to expedite that reason, and opted for staying silent. Her mind was confused, grasping back to the few seconds she remembered in The Garrison, before everything faded to nothing. She remembered strong arms around her body, and the reek of male body odour. She wretched slightly at the memory and hacked a coughed. So much for staying silent. She stiffened as she heard heavy boots outside of the door. 

Her eyes involuntarily closed against the sudden burst of light as the door was thrown open, and the light outside streamed in. Wherever she was lead directly to the outside she realised. Maybe it was a hut, or barn of some description. When her eyes had accustomed to the change in light level she was aware that four men had entered the room. She couldn’t see their faces as they were standing in the gloom (they had kicked the door shut behind them), but she saw they were all wearing some kind of green uniform, and had red armbands around their right arms. This much was lit by a half-closed lantern that one of them was carrying. 

‘What do you want?’ she asked, squinting towards one of the outlines. She refused to sit here in silence whilst they did what they will. 

‘What the _fuck_ do you want?’ she asked again when there was answer forthcoming. There was a little gruff chuckle from one of the men off to her left. 

‘She doesn’t change’ 

Arin’s stomach dropped at those words, and a shiver of recognition ran down her spine. She turned towards the voice, but couldn’t see the face. It couldn’t possibly be who she thought of it was and she squinted to try and put paid to her fears. 

One of the men stepped into the pool of light in front of her chair, cast by the lantern. He knelt down so his face was at eye level with her. He had a cruel face that suggested he spared no emotion when faced with a task. There was no empathy in his eyes. 

‘Hello Arin’ he said, his voice soft, and his lips twisted at the edges. One of his cheeks was scarred – it looked like it had been a knife a long time ago, and the flesh had twisted as it healed, leaving a pale pink mark in its wake. 

‘What do you want?’ she repeated once again to the main, making sure her eyes didn’t show any fear. She was sure he would enlighten her within a few moments. 

‘Well, first, I’ve got someone to reintroduce to you’ he said, standing back up, and gesturing back towards her left, beckoning two of the other men forward. Two pairs of boots moved forward and two men came into the light, so Arin could see their faces in sharp relief. Arin gaped, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open as her eyes darted between the two faces. She couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing, and she screwed her eyes up tightly, shook her head, as if to clear her ears of water. She reopened them, and the apparition was still present. 

There was a moment of complete and utter silence before anybody spoke. 

‘You utter fucking bastards’ Arin hissed, her voice laced with the poison that was coursing through her body. She had never felt anger like this – it was utterly toxic. She felt like that there was a cauldron of acid bubbling through her veins, and if she’d have been able to explode and kill them all with it she would’ve done. It was incomprehensible to say that she was merely angry. This was a frenzied rage as she’d never felt before. She struggled with her bonds, wanting to leap free, to scratch and claw at the calm faces before her. The other man, who she had not yet seen, came around behind her and pushed her shoulders down so that she could barely move. She still did try and was hissing like a scalded cat. 

One of the men chuckled again, ‘Good to see you again Arin...’ 

She hawked and spat on the floor at his feet, ‘Fuck you. Go to hell!’ 

A hand whipped out and slapped her across the cheek. There was sharp shoot of pain across her face as her sense of balance reeled for a moment. She thought that they only reason she didn’t fall of the chair was because the man behind her was still holding onto her shoulders. 

‘You do not speak to us like that’ said the man with the heavy eyebrows, as Arin’s head rocked back. 

‘Don’t’ said one of the men, holding up his hand, before he crouched before Arin. He had a half grin on his face, and his auburn hair was coming down in an almost dashing way across his eyes. 

‘Now Arin,’ he said, and then his gaze softened, ‘ _Sister_ ’ 

She didn’t speak, and swallowed deeply, trying to contain the bile that was gathering. She tried to push down the urge to spit again. She wanted to destroy the calmness of his face. How dare he simply appear in front of her again – and in such a way as this? 

‘I thought you were dead!’ she cried out, failing to contain her emotions for a second longer, ‘You let me believe you were dead! Both of you! I nearly ended up in the whorehouse because of you. I was utterly destitute!!’

He sighed, his eyes not meeting hers for a moment, ‘It was for the best.’ 

‘For the best for who, Mark?!’ she screamed, ‘For who Jimmy?!’ 

Neither of them spoke as she continued, her words a torrent that wouldn’t seem to stop now that she had started, ‘I had to flee Dublin because I was left all on my own – the Black family would’ve either murdered me or forced me to do God knows what. You abandoned me, your own family, your sister. How could you?!’ 

She felt like she was going to be sick, and her world was spinning. She could barely think straight. 

‘Are you finished?’ asked Mark, still crouching in front of her, ‘It was for the best.’ 

Arin didn’t reply, as she realised tears were streaking down her cheeks. She wanted to punch him. 

‘Now,’ he continued, ‘We need your help.’ 

She growled through her teeth, her articulations brought down to animalistic sounds of anger and pain. All she knew was that there was absolutely no way in hell she was going to help them. She knew what they would want – why they had brought her here, but they could keep asking her until hell froze over and she still wouldn’t tell them. 

Mark gestured back to the man with the heavy eyebrows who gripped her shoulders, turning his back towards her so she could no longer see the faces of her traitorous brothers. 

‘We need you to tell us where the jewels are’ said the man who had slapped her, ‘Otherwise it’s not going to end well for you’. 

Arin looked at him, her eyes narrowed, before spitting on the floor again – she didn’t care if her hit her again. 

‘Fuck. You.’ she said, ‘I’ll never tell you. They betrayed me – what make you think I would ever, _ever_ , help them?!’

The man grimaced, ‘Because if you don’t – we will kill you.’ 

Arin gave a derisive smirk, her lips twisting in an ugly grimace across her face, for the first time she felt a dart of confidence run through her, ‘No you won’t – because then you’ll never know.’

‘There are other ways for us to get them’ said the man, attempting to be dismissive. 

Arin couldn’t help but let out a bark of laughter, ‘No there isn’t.’ 

The man’s fingers twitched at his sides, as if he was attempting to restrain himself from hitting her again. Arin smirked again, his small actions betraying the words she spoke were true. She decided to twist the knife deep into the wound. 

‘You will never know. It’s been a year since my father died, I’ve not seen these traitorous cunts since 1915, and you’ve gone to the trouble of catching me after trying everything else – you’re the ones who sent those men after Tommy, and we all know what happened to them. That tells me that you don’t have any idea where the jewels are – and that’s why you need me.’ 

The man hissed, his eyes narrowing. 

‘And I don’t think your boss will be very pleased if you come back empty handed,’ she said, ‘How on earth will you keep funding the fight for a free Ireland without funds?’ 

The man could no longer help himself – his hand drew back and he hit her again. Except this time, it wasn’t a slap – it was a punch, square on her cheek bone. She cried out as her head snapped back and her world rocked with the impact. 

‘Seamus!’ yelled a voice that sounded distinctly like Jimmy’s, as her head swam. 

‘What?’ yelled the voice of the man who had hit her, ‘The bitch isn’t going to tell us without a little persuasion.’ 

‘Then leave her,’ snapped Mark, ‘Let her get hungry, and cold, in the dark.’ 

She groaned as her cheek throbbed from the impact of his strike. When she gathered her thoughts back together she realised that they were leaving. The door flung wide open and her head screamed from the burst of light as their stomp of boots disappeared out of the door and it slammed shut. 

She was left alone in the dark again. Her head was racing as she tried to make sense of everything that happened in the past few hours. She tried to push that out of her head as she desperately tried to figure out her way out of the predicament she found herself in – she would have time to ponder puzzles once she got herself away from this place. Her legs were untied, but her hands were still firmly bound to the chair back. She figured what she had to do but she knew it would be painful, so she was balking at the idea. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tipped the chair, and she bit the inside of her cheek hard, tasting blood, as it fell to the side, and her shoulder crashed into the hard floor. 

Once she had got over the shock, however, she was in a bit of a better position. Her legs were free to twist around and curl up into her body. She was able to shake her foot so that the small knife she kept in her sock – the same with which she had threatened Campbell only last week – slid free onto the floor with a small clatter. It was still a little out of reach, and she had to squirm and shuffle to grab it in her fingers. Despite the cold, she was sweating a little once she finally wrapped her fingers around the handle of the knife. She was able to twist her wrist around and saw one of the bonds free. She gasped in pain as she nicked the skin of her left wrist with the blade as she did so. It took a few minutes, but then one hand was free, and she was able to cut the other free with relative ease. 

She got shakily to her feet. Her cheek was still throbbing and her wrist was sore where she had caught it with the knife – she could feel a small trickle of blood as it wended its way down across her palm. She didn’t quite know what she was going to do. She didn’t know where she was, or how far she’d been brought. She didn’t even know how long she’d been away from Birmingham – it could have been hours, or it could have been days. She walked to the door, the knife still curled in her fist. She put her ear to the wood, listening closely – she didn’t know how far her captors might have gone, or whether they were simply waiting right outside the door. She took a deep breath – she would simply have to risk it. She pushed open the door and found that she was indeed in what looked like a farmyard, and where she had been held was a barn. The yard was empty – clearly, they hadn’t expected her to break free of her bonds. She blinked in the light, but only dared stand there for a few seconds before deciding to move.

She edged her way along the back of the barn, away from the main house. She had no idea where she was, or how long it would take for them to realise she was missing. There was a track that led off along the side of a field to her right, and she began to pick her way along the edge of it. She would have to stay away from main roads – at least until she found a faster way of moving than by foot. She stumbled and fell a few times – her limbs feeling a little weak as she walked. Her dress was filthy by the time the farmhouse had faded into the distance. She kept her ears pricked for any sound, but all she could hear were the birds in the hedgerows and the crows circling overhead.

She walked for what felt like hours before she came across anything else. They must have realised she was missing by now, but with no idea which direction she had gone in, she at least had that advantage. She stopped when she came across another farmhouse, set back from the road. She looked this way and that before stepping up to knock on the front door, but she could see nobody in either direction. 

It took a moment or two for someone to come to the door, and the woman looked taken aback momentarily as she took in the grubby appearance of the apparition on her doorstep. She seemed to be trying to decide whether to simply shut the door in the girl’s face. 

‘Yes?’ she asked, ‘Can I help you?’ 

‘Yes, please,’ said Arin, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice, ‘First of all, can you tell me where I am? I’ve been walking for miles’ 

The woman nodded, her eyes sceptical at the claim, ‘Aye, we’re just outside of Coventry dear’ 

Arin nodded, her heart beating a little faster. Coventry, that was good. She wasn’t very far from Birmingham then. 

‘Do you have a horse I could buy?’ she asked quickly, ‘Or one I might borrow?’ 

The woman looked startled by her request and immediately looked as if she might refuse her. A horse was an extremely valuable item – you didn’t just sell or give one to anyone beggar who turned up on the doorstep. 

‘I will give you this as a guarantee,’ said Arin quickly, twisting her gold wedding ring off her finger, and handing it to the woman, ‘I will return with money once I am reunited with my husband’ 

‘Were you robbed dear?’ asked the woman, looking down at the gold band in her hand. It had an intricate detailing on the band, and had been crafted with some skill. The woman probably realised that this was no beggar standing on her step. Arin felt sick parting with it, for it had once belonged to Tommy’s mother – he’d given it to her a few days after their wedding, not having had it on his person the night they were actually wed. 

‘Something like that,’ said Arin, ‘Now please, can I borrow a horse? I will pay you in kind and if I do not return you may keep the ring’ 

The woman looked at her, her eyes narrowing slightly between the ring laying on her palm and the face of the girl in front of her. After a moment she nodded in agreement. 

‘Aye, you may borrow a horse,’ she said finally. 

‘Oh thank you!’ said Arin, relief washing over her ‘I cannot thank you enough’ 

Less than ten minutes later Arin was pulling herself up into the saddle of a horse, her aching legs grateful for the momentary support. It was a sixteen-hand gelding and seemed quite alright to handle – it seemed docile enough and reacted to the pressure of her thighs well enough. 

‘I will be back,’ said Arin, ‘But first I have to get to home’ 

Her eyes darted along the road, half expecting to see a car or cart racing in their direction. 

‘Where is home dear?’ asked the woman, who had pocketed the ring she had been given in order to saddle the horse. 

‘Birmingham,’ said Arin, a steely tone to her voice, ‘And the Peaky Blinders’ 

The woman visibly blanched at the name, her face paling in recognition. Arin immediately sought to reassure her. 

‘Do not worry,’ she said kindly, ‘Tommy is good to his friends. And you have helped me more than I expected. You will be paid for your kindness.’ 

The woman nodded, chewing her lip slightly in her nervousness. With that Arin turned the horse with the reigns and trotted out of the yard, before breaking into a steady canter on the road. She wanted to be home, to be back safe in Tommy’s arms. Her heart was beating nearly out of her chest. She didn’t know what she would find when she got there – she sent up a quick prayer that Tommy was alright and that it was Kimber who had died. She had no idea how long she had been gone. Her whole life could be in ashes and she might simply be riding towards the smoking ruins. 

It took a few hours to reach the outskirts of Birmingham, and dusk was just beginning to fall as she trotted into Small Heath. She decided to ride straight to the house, rather than taking the horse to Charlie’s yard first. The street was extremely quiet and there was hardly anyone about as the horse’s hooves clattered over the cobbles. Arin decided that this was probably a good thing. If Kimber had won, surely there would be armed men around, and the street in a state of occupation? 

The lights were on in Watery Lane as she rode towards the house. Someone had lit the lamps in the front room, and had not pulled the curtains to, so the golden light was spilling onto the street outside. She stopped outside the house, and slid off the horse, her legs nearly giving way with sheer exhaustion as they hit the floor, she pulled herself up with a lot of effort and gave the horse a rub on the neck – he had done very well today. She tied it to the nearest lamppost, not wanting it run away before she could return it to the farmer just outside of Coventry. She would take it to Curly later – he would make sure he was well looked after until she had chance to take it home. She walked up the steps but hesitated just outside the front door of the place she now called home. Her heart was pounding still at what she might learn on the other side of this door. She took a deep breath before she opened it, and immediately she nearly fainted from relief, as she saw Tommy’s form bent over the writing desk with his back to her. 

‘John?’ he called the instant he heard the door, ‘What news?’ 

‘It’s not John,’ she said immediately, ‘It’s me.’ 

Tommy whirled around, taking in her grubby and dilapidated form in the doorway, his eyes wide in surprise and shock. She just had time to take in that his left arm was in a sling, before he’d crossed the floor in two strides and pulled her to him in a bone crushing hug. She grasped her hands around his back and held him close, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks as she let the happenings of the past day or so fully wash through her. He kissed her then, his mouth covering hers, demanding that she respond to his onslaught of passion. He didn’t care that she was dirty, and that her mouth was bloody. He broke away a moment later to allow her to draw a deep breath of air. 

‘Who was it?’ Tommy spat through gritted teeth without letting her go, ‘Who took you?’ 

He kissed her on the jaw, on the cheek, the nose, the lips, anywhere his mouth could reach as he held her tightly. 

She stepped back in order to answer his question, ‘It was the IRA.’ 

Tommy’s eyes widened as she said that, and she could see he was trying to figure out why on earth they would take her, and not anyone else in his family, or confront him directly. He didn’t know that they had business with her, and with her alone.

Arin nodded and said quietly, ‘They have a history with my family.’ 

Tommy didn’t speak, but just drew her back into him, ‘What did they want? Why you?’ 

Arin spoke softly, almost into the soft material of his jacket, ‘They think I have something that belongs to them. Something which used to belong to my father. I’ll tell you everything Tommy, I swear it. I didn’t mean to keep it from you, but it seemed so unimportant until this past week and I---‘ 

Tommy stopped her by stepping back and putting his finger to her lips, ‘It’s alright. We all have secrets.’ 

‘I will tell you everything’ she said earnestly, her hand laying on his right bicep, aware that the other one was apparently injured. She was practically swaying where she stood, the tiredness and emotions of the day all hitting her at the same time. She wasn’t sure she would be able to stand up for much longer.

‘I know,’ he said taking in her total exhaustion, ‘But it will wait until morning’ 

She could have wept with relief at his words, ‘Are you sure?’ 

Tommy nodded, his hand coming up to stroke at the side of her face, ‘Yes. I’m just glad you’re home. You have no idea how scared I was when you weren’t there when I came back yesterday. I was so terrified - more scared than I have ever been in my life.’ 

‘You have no idea how scared I was when you stepped out the door to face Billy,’ mumbled Arin. Tommy gave a rueful smile and took her back into his embrace. She laid her head back on his shoulder, the warmth of his body radiating through her, his mouth next to her ear. 

‘It doesn’t matter,’ he whispered into her hair, holding her to him, ‘Not now. Not now I’ve got you back.’ 

_Fin_


End file.
